Possession
by Ayriel
Summary: Echoes of the past converge on Mt. Reikaku in the form of a determined young boy…and a vengeful demon. Tasuki finds his loyalties and sanity tested in ways they've never been before as a celestial struggle once again lands on his doorstep, and "Genrou" might not be left standing when it ends. But what's this woman have to do with it?
1. Changing Seasons

**Disclaimer:** I acknowledge that Fushigi Yugi and its associated copyrights are the sole intellectual property of its creator, Yuu Watase. This fanfiction has been created for nonprofit entertainment purposes only.

 **Author's Note:** Boy, I bet no one was expecting an update from me to appear in their inboxes...and for a nearly 25-year-old anime series, no less! Tsk, tsk. Unfortunately, I can't help which series trigger my fandom creative juices. A few things to keep in mind for those brave or bored enough to start reading:

1\. **Content Warnings:** This fanfiction includes allusions to sexual violence, but none are actually depicted on page. If you have read or watched Part II of FY, this story will build upon its foundation and all the potentially discomfiting subject matter it involved (i.e., mind r*pe). General purpose warnings for violence, death, and cursing, because of course. I will attempt to flag chapters that may be particularly distressing, but because of the central role it has in the plot, I cannot make guarantees. There is also consensual sexual tension/allusions scattered around. (Basically, if you're familiar with the series and all variations of the word "fuck," you should be fine.)

2\. This story takes place two years after the end of the manga or the first two OVAs, whichever you prefer. However, it adheres to the manga and light novels most closely in terms of plot. If you haven't read the manga as well as Genrou Den, Shouryuu Den, and Sanbou Den Part I and II, there may be some characters (like Anzu and Reirei) or events (like Tasuki inheriting the tessen) you don't recognize, but it shouldn't impact your enjoyment of the story overall.

3\. For some semblance of "authenticity" for a fanfiction written in English based on a series published in Japanese that leans heavily on ancient Chinese culture, I decided to use both Chinese and Japanese terms, cultural practices, honorifics, and surnames for the worldbuilding. As an outsider to both cultures depicted, I have tried to be sensitive in the manner that I include these terms, but this fanfic is in no way meant to be historically accurate to any specific culture or time period. Any missteps are solely my own.

4\. Text that is _**bold and italic**_ signals dialogue that a character is hearing in their own head that is _not_ their own subconscious (telepathy). Text in _italics_ signals a flashback or the character's own thoughts.

5\. **This story is already finished.** You do NOT have to worry about an eternal cliffhanger! There are twenty-eight chapters in total and roughly 250,000 words. There _is_ a sequel I'm currently working on, but you get a satisfactory conclusion here. The only unknown here is my own laziness, but I'm publishing the whole thing here for accountability reasons regardless of feedback. (Although of course it's a great motivator if I know someone's actually _reading_.)

Got it? Good! Hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter One: Changing Seasons**

Takako's feet slipped in the deep, soggy mud, the air thick with heat and moisture after another late spring rain. His horse jerked forward and whinnied softly, its sides heaving from exertion.

"Sorry, girl," Takako said, stroking the side of the sable mare's face. "Only way from here is up." With a grunt, he wrenched his foot out of another mini sinkhole and reached into the saddlebag for his water pouch. The sun had disappeared beyond the horizon over an hour ago, which meant he had precious little time to make it to the peak of Mt. Reikaku before nightfall…about half an hour, actually, and he was barely halfway up by the looks of it.

"Kuso," he hissed. He took a sip from the pouch and turned to the horse. "So much for making a good first impression, Cho. How the hell am I gonna be taken seriously as a bandit when I can't even get to the stronghold without getting lost?" He sighed. "Well. Guess I'll just have to wait and see. No use being negative before I even get _laughed_ off the moun—" Cho snorted and jerked away from Takako. "— _Whoa_!" Knocked off balance, he pinwheeled his arms as he stepped backward right into the sinkhole. With a strangled squawk, he collapsed in a heap on his back, the thick mud coating him from head to toe.

"Unbelievable!" he shouted, flinging the water pouch at the mud. It hit with a loud, wet _PLOP_. He pointed his finger at Cho. "Thanks _a lot_ , you stupid, filthy—"

Cho snorted again and leaned down, her muzzle parallel with his face.

"—beautiful, patient, majestic creature," he finished meekly. Cho snorted again, coating him with snot, before stepping back and away. Takako allowed his head to fall to the ground, and he stared up hopelessly at the swirling pink and orange clouds that hovered behind the thick trees. Birds chirped merrily in the background while somewhere miles away, a dog—at least, he _hoped_ it was a dog—howled.

"I'm…already a failure." Takako rubbed the tears and sweat out of his eyes. "I guess kaa-san was right, after all…I'm not good enough to be a bandit."

Absentmindedly, he tugged the chain around his neck out of his shirt collar, examining the large, heavy gemstone that hung on the end. The gem itself was translucent—a white chunk of stone with a cloudy middle. But now, after years of continual use, it pulsed and shimmered with tendrils of dense purple light that flowed like liquid, filling the gem until none of its original color could be seen.

He squeezed the gem in his other hand, a burst of warmth flooding through him. Did his mother let him keep the stone because she knew he was strong enough to wield its power, or because she thought he didn't stand a chance without it? That was the question he still couldn't answer, after almost five days out in the wilderness, alone.

Didn't really matter now, though. If he stayed out here any longer he'd risk freezing to death or getting eaten by a mountain cat, so he had to find the Reikaku stronghold regardless.

Heaving out a sigh, he eased to his feet and waddled back to his horse, who stared at him and snorted again, unimpressed.

"You know," he said, his hands on his hips, "if we didn't practically grow up together, I'd swear you didn't like me very much." He frowned. "But to be perfectly honest…I don't like _you_ very much right now, either!"

"Ya better be careful wit that horse, kid," a man said with a chuckle. Takako whirled around, his heart thudding. In the vast clearing the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, but he was alone. "Looks like it ain't got no problem fightin' back."

"Who…who's there?" He fumbled behind him for his dagger, which he kept fastened to the saddlebag. With all the underbrush and tall, thick trees casting shadows, the man could be anywhere. "I-If you think I'll be an easy victim, you've got another thing coming!"

Takako's gaze flicked across the landscape, finally settling on a figure leaning against a tree on the far edge of the field. He wore a pair of dark brown pants and a green vest that so perfectly blended in with the surrounding forest that Takako still had trouble making him out completely. Takako slipped his dagger into the waistband of his pants and swallowed, his mouth going dry.

Almost as if on cue, shadows pulled away from the background, hovering just on the edge of the retreating sunlight. He was surrounded.

The man who'd spoken pushed off the trunk and strode forward, his heavy boots the only sound Takako heard. He clenched his fist around the hilt of his knife, but as soon as the man's silhouette entered the light, Takako knew he didn't stand a chance.

First, he was tall. _Really_ tall, and his hair gleamed orange in a way that made Takako immediately think of fire. An odd weapon was strapped to his back, and calm authority oozed from his posture. But his golden eyes were nonchalant…that meant he wasn't going to kill him, right?

"Awfully late fer ya ta be up here alone," the man said when Takako didn't reply. "Ya lost, kid?"

Takako glanced around. A man with blue hair stood on the redhead's left, his arms folded casually. A wicked scar curved along his left cheekbone. About half a dozen others had fanned out until they made a loose semicircle around him. They ran the gamut from tall and skinny to wide and bulky, but they were all heavily armed and equally unimpressed with his presence. Takako watched in disbelief as a man pulled out a small dagger and started cleaning under his nails with it.

"N-No, I'm not lost," he finally said. He took a deep breath and pushed away from the saddle, standing at his full height. He still didn't even reach the redheaded leader's armpit. "I-I'm…I'm looking for the Reikaku b-bandits."

The redhead and the blue-haired man exchanged a look. "Well ya've found 'em, kid," the redhead said, never looking away from his partner. "Whatdya need? Protection?"

"No." Takako puffed out his chest. "I…want to join."

The redhead finally turned to face him, his eyebrows raised. And then he started to laugh.

"I think he's serious, Genrou," his friend said between gasps of his own.

Takako's eyes widened. _Genrou?_

"Man, we're in trouble if we start hurtin' fer new meat," Genrou's friend continued. "They keep gettin' scrawnier an' scrawnier."

 _His mother cocked her head at him, her lips pinched. "No offense, Takako, but…you know you're_ really _scrawny, right?"_

"I'm _not_ scrawny!" Takako snapped. "I can take care of myself just fine."

Considering he was surrounded by really tall bandits that definitely knew how to use their weapons better than he did, that probably hadn't been the smartest thing to say aloud. But it had the desired effect: It stopped the laughing.

Genrou walked forward until Takako had to strain to look him in the eye. He folded his arms. "What's yer name, kid?"

The boy gritted his teeth and jutted his chin out. "Ji Takako…uh, sir."

"An' _how_ old're ya, exactly?"

He grimaced even as he mumbled, "Thirteen."

Genrou rolled his eyes and snorted. Takako really couldn't catch a break today, it seemed. "Yer barely off yer momma's tit, comin' ta my mountain expectin' ta git welcomed wit open arms?" He gestured around the clearing, encompassing each of his men in turn. "I dunno if ya noticed, kid, but everyone here is at least a foot higher than ya. What exactly do ya think yer able ta do?" He sprang forward and grabbed Takako by the forearm. "An' ya can drop th' knife," he said casually, smirking when Takako flinched, "'cause I coulda saw that comin' a mile away."

His body flushed with heat, but wordlessly, Takako let the knife fall from his fingers.

He clenched his fist so Genrou couldn't see his fingers shaking. Playing tough wasn't going to work. He felt his fragile confidence start to crack.

 _"If you really want to do this, fine. But a piece of advice…" His mother leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "You know what happens when people think you're not a threat, right? They underestimate you." She tapped his nose. "Use that to your advantage. If you don't, you'll be dead."_

There was no way in hell that he could afford to go crying to his mama after less than a week. It had taken him months just to convince her that he was strong enough to go it alone; he wasn't about to prove her right without a fight! Taking a deep breath, Takako prepared to fortify his tough guy act…and then thought better of it.

 _If this guy is who I think he is,_ he thought, _then, maybe…_

Takako let his shoulders slump, directing his gaze to his boots. "I…I'm not the best with close combat," he admitted quietly. "And I know I'm young, and…I know I'm scrawny, compared to you and everyone else." He took another deep breath and met Genrou's eyes. "But…my ka— _shifu_ taught me how to fight. And…I'm really good at sneaking around." He bit his lip and glanced away. "I'm probably a lot better at it than _you_ , actually."

Genrou groaned, his eyes lifting skyward. "Fer Suzaku's sake, kid, if yer tryna get on my _good_ side—"

Takako flung his arms to his sides. "Me being small means no one notices me! It means no one thinks I'm a threat. All my life, people have ignored me, belittled me. They never even thought I'd last till _three_ , let alone thirteen!"

Genrou narrowed his eyes, but he stayed silent, so Takako soldiered on.

"I know you could find plenty of stronger, smarter men to join your crew if you wanted." Takako's eyes fell on the man with the blue hair. "But I'm persistent. I'm not afraid to work hard. I-I don't want any special treatment 'cause I'm young. I just…" He turned back to Genrou. "But you…I've heard stories about you, Genrou-sama. You're…you're a Suzaku seishi…Tasuki, aren't you?"

Genrou jerked back. "Wha—how in th' hell di—"

"—I've heard stories about how you joined the Reikaku bandits when you were young," Takako blurted. "How you were only fifteen but you were _so_ fast, the former leader let you join anyway. And then the Suzaku no miko came to Konan, and you helped protect her until she could summon Suzaku!" He grinned, his hands waving. "And _then_ you saved Konan _again_ when that demon god showed up two years ago!"

"M-Mou…kid…"

" _Ha_ , no need ta be modest, Genrou!" His friend clapped him on the back, grinning ear to ear. "Ya definitely heard right, kid—this is a livin' legend, right here in th' flesh!"

Genrou—or Tasuki, there was no denying it now, the way he was blushing—slapped the hand away. " _Ahou_ , I don't need a buncha hero worshippin'. I _need_ men who're gonna do what I tell 'em ta!" He stabbed his finger toward Takako, his eyes narrowed. "If ya think a buncha compliments are gonna get ya in my good graces—"

"I don't! But…the thing is…" Takako felt himself blushing, too, and he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I never had a father. He died when I was a baby. No brothers, either. For my whole life, it's just been me and my mom. But…"

He sighed, a small self-conscious smile on his lips. "But if anyone can teach me how to be a good man…someone who can make kaa-san proud…well…" Takako beamed at him. "I can't think of anyone better than _you_ , Genrou-sama."

A flash of indecision crossed Tasuki's face, and then he bared his teeth, revealing a tiny fang. "Well _fuck_ , kid," he snapped. "Yer in th' wrong line of work. A little bit more finesse, an' ya could be th' best fuckin' corrupt politician Konan's ever seen."

Takako hid his grin behind his hand. _Jackpot._

XXXXXX

" _Wow_ , Genrou."

"Kouji, I'm warnin' ya…"

Kouji chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, ya've always been a little soft in th' head, but I didn't know it was _this_ soft…"

Tasuki turned on his heel and faced him. "Got any more jokes?" He flailed his arms. "Go ahead, let 'em go now, 'cause if ya keep this up back at th' stronghold, I swear ta Suzaku I'm punchin' ya in th' throat!"

Kouji grinned, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "No judgment, I'm jus' sayin'. Never knew ya were th' sentimental type, that's all."

Tasuki glanced over his shoulder. The kid was still struggling up the hill, his ornery horse stopping to munch grass and flowers after every couple of steps. "I'm not," he said, and he whirled around and pushed on.

There wasn't a more pathetic sight in the world right now than the thirteen-year-old, mud-covered disaster trailing silently behind them, but what the hell was he supposed to do? Say, "fuck off," and let the kid get eaten by wolves or robbed by Kaou thugs or worse? He'd never make it down the mountain and back to town before it got dark, and Tasuki wasn't about to have some naive boy's death on his conscience on top of all the other shit.

"I'm lettin' him clean up an' stay th' night, then I'm sendin' him on his way," he clarified. Kouji muttered something from behind him, but Tasuki thought they'd _both_ be better off if he didn't know what.

The truth was, they _were_ in serious need of new recruits. Some kind of sickness had swept through the stronghold over the past few months, and at least twenty of his men were bedridden already. No one had died from it, thank the gods, but even the smallest movement sent them reeling, so Reikaku was running pretty short on a few of its rotations.

Tasuki wasn't stupid enough to think the kid could even come close to filling that gap, though. His approach had definitely been original, but flattery wasn't going to keep the whole mountain from falling to shit.

"Where do ya think this ma of his is?" Kouji asked, ambling up beside him. "D'ya think she knows he's cavortin' with the likes a us?"

"Dunno. I'd say he's a runaway but he at least seems ta _like_ his ma, which is more than I coulda said 'bout me 'round his age."

"Could use someone to muck out the stalls, though," Kouji pondered aloud. "Don't look like Kentaro's gonna be gittin' off his ass any time soon. I wouldn't be surprised if he's fakin' it, th' bastard."

Tasuki sighed. _Useless, every fuckin' one o' 'em!_

The stronghold rose up in front of them, a sprawling, slightly disheveled building that curved along the mountain's northernmost ridge. It had looked like this as long as Tasuki had lived there, some six or seven years now, but it must have gone through an expansion at some point, because the wood panels slowly got lighter toward the end, as if weathered by sun or rain or both.

"Sugoi!" The kid was suddenly at their side, a shit-eating grin on his face. "It's _huge!_ There has to be, like, two hundred men living here!"

Tasuki pushed down on the boy's head, drawing out a soft cry of indignation. "Not even close, kid. Ya know how hard it is ta get fifty men ta clean up after themselves? No? Ain't no way I could stand th' stench of two hundred."

"Too many nights spent livin' in palaces," Kouji muttered, rubbing his nose. "Turned ya into a crybaby."

"I sure as hell didn't hear _you_ complainin' when I got ya into the harem that one time, did I?"

Kouji sighed, placing his hand over his heart. "Second best night of my life." He shrugged. "Can't blame a man fer bein' a man, all I'm sayin'."

The kid cocked his head. "Where do I get to sleep?"

Tasuki grinned. "I'm sure there's a nice big pile o' straw out back fer ya."

" _Genrou!_ That's no way to treat a guest."

Tasuki flinched, glancing up to see Anzu striding toward him, her arms pumping in time with her long stride. He grimaced; he _knew_ that look. Her long black hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, haphazard strands framing her heart-shaped face, but her expression was steely. She studied Takako closely for a moment before she narrowed her eyes at Tasuki. "You didn't push him into the mud, did ya?"

Tasuki snorted. "What? No. Fool kid fell without any help from me or anyone else. I was gonna make 'im turn around an' head back down th' mountain, but I decided to take pity on 'im. He's only stayin' th' night."

"What?" the kid squawked. "How come?"

Rolling his eyes, Tasuki turned to face him slowly. He wouldn't be surprised if his eyeballs fell clear out of his head by the end of the night, the way things were going. "We went o'er this, kid," he said. "Yer too scrawny."

"Weren't you 'bout his size when you joined, though?" Anzu asked, tapping her chin. "You were only a kid yourself, after all."

Muttering a curse, Tasuki pinched the bridge of his nose. Sometimes he _really_ regretted agreeing to let Anzu join up, and this was one of those times. She'd entered his life as a major nuisance four years ago, and even though time had mellowed her a bit, she never had seemed to respect the title of "kashira" very much.

"Well, what could it hurt to give 'im a shot, Genrou?" Kouji asked, right on cue. "At th' very least we'll git a good laugh when he falls on his face again."

Tasuki narrowed his eyes at him. "Seems ya were on _my_ side before Anzu got involved."

"Well, whatdya want me to say?" He wrapped an arm around Anzu's waist, tugging her to his side as he grinned. "The woman's the boss."

The redhead gaped at him. "I thought _I_ was th' boss!"

"Well, see, yer th' boss as long as Anzu agrees, or else ya gotta cede somea yer power," Kouji explained. "Temporarily, o'course." He shrugged. "I didn't make th' rules, Genrou. Still gotta live by 'em."

"If that isn't the biggest heap o' bullshi—"

"UM!" The kid shot his hand up. "I have a proposal."

It was official: Everyone he knew was completely fucking crazy. But the kid— _Takako_ , Tasuki reminded himself—wasn't to blame for his lovesick best friend or the meddlesome lover. And since the kid had pulled himself out of the muck, he was actually starting to get a little grit to him. He was persistent, Tasuki'd give him that much.

"Whatdya want, kid?"

Takako smiled. "If I can prove that I'm useful…will you let me join then?"

Tasuki arched an eyebrow. "Depends. What kind of usefulness are we talkin' 'bout?"

"Stealing is what really matters, right?" Takako pumped his fist. "If I can bring back a whole bunch of treasure, that'll show I'm good enough, right?"

"Oi, kid, I don't think—"

Anzu frowned. "Ano…robbing someone isn't a one-person job, ya know," she said, gently. "A lot of the rich merchants travel with armed guards."

Takako nodded. "But no one ever notices me, remember? I can sneak right by 'em and rob 'em blind!"

As one, the three adults exchanged doubtful glances. Anzu jerked her head over to a nearby tree, and they quietly headed over to it. "This is a horrible idea," she murmured after they were out of earshot. "The boy's trying to get himself killed!"

That, at least, Tasuki agreed with. He, Kouji, and maybe even Anzu would be able to handle a job alone, but a thirteen-year-old? It was a suicide mission.

"Which is why ya shoulda just listened ta me in the first place an' told 'im ta get lost," Tasuki snapped. "Now ya got his hopes up."

Kouji elbowed Anzu in the side, waggling his eyebrows as he chuckled. "Makes me wonder if Hakurou, may he rest in peace, had this very same dilemma when _his_ scrawny ass showed up."

Anzu and Kouji traded more barbs at his expense, and Tasuki sighed. They were really just going to keep beating that dead horse, weren't they? He'd been scrawny, yeah, but he'd also been a celestial warrior. Did he _really_ have to go into the really crucial differences between his past and this? He should've just listened to his first mind and told the kid to scram…Tasuki glanced over his shoulder to where the boy was waiting.

Takako stared back at him, his dark eyes wide. He was a skinny thing, with no muscle definition whatsoever, but the quiet way he met his gaze told Tasuki there was something more bubbling there, right under the surface. He seemed wise beyond his years, somehow, and although he obviously didn't know how to hide a weapon to save his life, the kid obviously was used to handling, and using, one.

But why in the hell did Tasuki give two shits about how intelligent or handy with knives this kid was? _Surely_ it wasn't that he was taking pity on him. Nope, absolutely not. There was no room for pity when one wrong move, one split second, could get the clumsy fool killed.

"I think he really looks up to you, Genrou," Anzu said, after sobering. "I'm not saying we _have_ to let him join, but I'd be really careful about crushing his spirit when he's so young. Disappointment like that stays with you."

He scoffed. He didn't want kids looking up to him at all! "So yer sayin' if he comes away from this wantin' ta jump off a bridge, it's my fault?"

"No, I'm saying that if a little kid struggles up here, all by himself, just to get the chance to meet and impress you, _Genrou-sama_ , the least you can do is let him down gently." She smirked. "I know tact isn't your strong suit, but I still think you're capable of it."

"I like how yer pretendin' ya wasn't in his exact position less than four years ago."

Anzu laughed. "Oh, _please!_ I was running things for months before your ass even bothered to show up." She spun in a slow circle, basking in his imaginary praise. "And obviously that turned out pretty well for you, didn't it?"

Tasuki scowled, biting back the sarcastic retort on the tip of his tongue. "This ain't no sanctuary fer th' lonely an' stupid, Anzu."

"Ya sure? How th' hell ya explain _you_ bein' here, then?" Kouji asked innocently.

Tasuki closed his eyes, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "I walked right into that one, didn't I."

Kouji threw his arm around Anzu's shoulders, grinning. "Couldn't even feel that setup comin' a mile away…Some kashira you are."

Tasuki gritted his teeth, feeling his control of the situation slowly slipping away. But he was never in control, was he? Not anymore. _Fuck me!_ he thought wearily. _These bastards have turned me into a godsdamned figurehead on my own mountain. I feel like I wanna punch somethin'…_ He glared at Kouji. _Might as well start wit 'im._

But then he'd have to deal with an angry Anzu… _Shit. Never mind._

"He ain't stayin'," Tasuki said instead. "An' that's final! You two might like ta _act_ like yer in charge now, but if somethin' goes wrong it's _my_ head that'll be on the platter first. So maybe ya should learn ta keep some of those ridiculous opinions of yers ta yer damn selves."

Anzu studied him, puckering her lips. "Geez…you're awfully cranky today. Usually you'd be all for making an example of the kid. What gives?" There had been no real heat in his words, or hers, but suddenly her eyes widened as if they'd held some secret revelation all the same.

"What?" Tasuki asked, already afraid to hear the answer.

Her eyes softened, and she surprised him by reaching out and grabbing his hand. She squeezed. "Genrou…spring's almost over, isn't it?"

Tasuki felt the energy drain from his body. Two weeks from now, and it would be the fourth anniversary of Chiriko's death.

Tasuki and Chichiri always visited the families of their fallen brothers every year around the anniversaries of their deaths, to see how they were holding up. It was the least they could do, but it made the summer months… _exhausting._ Nuriko had died right on the border of spring and summer; they'd visited his family just a couple weeks back. After that, it would be a quick succession of Chiriko, Mitsukake, and Hotohori.

Soon Tasuki would have to leave the mountain for a few days to pay his respects to Chiriko. Maybe that was why, then…

 _Chiriko…_ Tasuki glanced at the boy again. _…was this kid's age when he died, wasn't he?_

Something had to be in the air. It was making him all nostalgic and shit. And unfortunately, Anzu could see right through him.

"This is different," Anzu murmured.

Kouji stared at them like they'd just grown extra heads. "I'm totally missin' somethin', ain't I?" he said, gaze flicking quickly back and forth between them. "Some kind of secret language ya two are speakin' I don't know about?"

Tasuki's shoulders slumped. This was a battle he had to finally admit he'd lost. "It's nothin'. Anzu obviously thinks I'm too dumb ta see beyond parallels."

"Genrou, that's _not_ what I—"

"How about this," Tasuki spat out, ignoring the heat spreading across his face, "we send 'im out an' have someone tail 'im, so we can pull 'im out before he gets himself killed."

Anzu and Kouji looked at each other, subtle eyebrow twitches and cocked heads conveying their _actual_ secret language. Finally, they turned to him and nodded, and Tasuki was left, once again, wondering when a two-man operation had become a two-man-but-really-one-woman operation. He loved his best friend and wished him the best, really he did, and Anzu was one helluva fighter in her own right, but he couldn't help but remember what things used to be like and wonder if, in the middle of all his seishi duties, he had quietly been replaced…by _both_ of them.

Aww, shit, he _was_ going soft. _Next chance I get, I'm grabbin' a big ol' bottle an' drinkin' till I pass out_ , he vowed.

"Sounds good ta me," Kouji drawled. "So who's it gonna be?"

Kouji and Anzu turned and smirked at him. Tasuki sighed. _Take that back…make it TWO bottles._

"KID!" Tasuki roared, feeling a perverse sense of pleasure when the boy jumped what had to be a foot in the air. "Git yer ass o'er here, front an' center!"

Takako stumbled through the thick undergrowth until he stood in front of Tasuki. His spine snapped ramrod straight as he lifted his arm in a stiff salute. "Yes, kashira!"

Tasuki bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Maybe he could get something out of this clusterfuck, after all. "Ya said ya want ta be a bandit, didn't ya? Ya ready ta take whatever beatin' I gotta offer ta make sure yer ready?"

"YES, SIR!"

"Well, then, I think we might actually have th' perfect job fer ya. It jus' so happens that a rich emissary from th' capital is stayin' in Souun, one o' th towns at th' foot of the mountain. Th' vain bastard never travels without a shit ton of exotic finery: silk, jewelry, weapons, an' th' like. But legend has it that's just the half o' it."

"What do you mean?"

"No matter how many times he's traveled through bandit territory, he ain't never been robbed. That's 'cause he has a magical dagger that lets 'im know whenever he's in danger. It starts to glow and get hot when he's at risk, so he can hightail it outta there 'fore he gets pilfered."

"Wow," Takako whispered. "So you want me to steal that dagger from him, right?"

"Exactly, kid. Good ta know ya ain't slow on th' uptake. Git me that dagger, an' I'll make ya a bandit in the very next moment."

"HAI, KASHIRA!" Takako saluted again. "When should I leave?"

"Whatdya mean, when should ya leave?! Ya wanna be a bandit, dontcha? Then any idiot who wants ta be a bandit oughta know that we do all our raids at night!" Tasuki jerked his thumb at the sky. "An' whatdya know, kid? The sun is officially gone. Looks like ya should git a move on if ya wanna make it ta Souun before it rises again tomorrow."

Takako's face fell. "You…want me to go back down _now_? B-But it took me so long to get here…"

"Are ya a bandit or not, kid?"

Takako narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin. " _Yes_. I'll get that dagger for you, kashira. And it won't even take me the full day to do it!"

"I like yer enthusiasm, kid! Yer gonna need it." He gestured wildly at the mountain trail. "So what are ya waitin' fer?!"

" _Hai,_ kashira!"

But Takako's war cry lacked quite a bit of enthusiasm compared to the first one. The boy grabbed his horse's reins and tried to coax her to turn around—but the ornery mare wasn't having it. She stomped her hoof twice, jerking away from his gentle tugs. "Stop fooling around, you stupid horse!" he snapped. The horse stopped struggling long enough to stare him down, and then it head-butted Takako in the shoulder, sending him right on his ass for the second time in one evening.

Tasuki busted out laughing, ignoring Anzu's warning look. "Take one of ours, kid," he offered, snickering. "Somethin' tells me yer gonna need all th' help ya can get."


	2. A Malevolent Force

**Chapter Two: A Malevolent Force**

Takako groaned, leaning heavily against the horse's neck. It was a gorgeous, jet black stallion, and _way_ smoother of a ride than lumpy, obnoxious Cho. But Cho had been his mother's beloved horse for over ten years; she trusted the mare so much that she'd made Takako taking her a rigid condition for him leaving for Mt. Reikaku…and so here they were.

Right before he'd left the stronghold, he'd last seen Cho being brushed by one of the stable boys while she munched on apple slices. He could've sworn he'd even seen her _wink_ at him…furry jerk.

That was over an hour ago, and it was now pitch black outside. His lantern created a soft halo of orange light around him, but that only attracted the mosquitoes. They swarmed in thick clouds that Takako was forced to duck and dodge every few feet, lest he risk getting a rather unwanted and disgusting late-night snack. He could already feel bumps forming along his arms from where he'd been bitten.

The truth was, he was _exhausted_. And sweaty. And probably smelled twice as bad as he looked. He wanted a bath. He wanted to sleep. He wanted some kind of food in him that didn't have wings and creepy little legs. But more than any of that, he _really_ wanted to be a bandit.

How the hell was he supposed to sneak up on anyone right now? They'd probably smell him coming.

"No complaining," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Real bandits don't complain about dumb stuff like needing a bath."

Actually…Tasuki did. He complained about a lot of things, actually, and _he_ was the leader. Maybe Takako just needed to curse more? Was that how men were able to air their grievances in an appropriately masculine fashion?

"Fuck." He tested the word on his tongue, although he couldn't resist the urge to glance over his shoulder and make sure he wasn't about to get caught. When hellfire didn't rain down from the sky, he grinned. "Fuck, fuck, fuck…" He faced forward again, and his eyes widened. _"Shit!"_

Takako pulled hard on the reins, and the stallion jerked to a stop, whinnying in protest. He could just barely see a figure standing on the trail ahead of him. The boy pulled his dagger from the sheath at his side and waited. The person didn't move, although there was no way they hadn't seen him or heard him coming. There was nowhere for Takako to hide or run, so his only option was continuing forward.

He nudged the horse with his heel, and it plodded down the trail until the figure was mere feet away—then Takako tugged the stallion to a stop. Lifting the lantern, Takako strained to see the man—and it was obviously a man, now—who still hadn't moved a muscle. His head was bowed, his eyes obscured by shadow, and he wore a simple outfit of a dark blue tunic and pants that looked really similar to what the other bandits on the mountain wore. But oddly enough, he wasn't wearing shoes.

Takako's skin pricked with goosebumps, but he forced himself to open his mouth. "Hey, are you all right?" he asked. "You, uh…need any help?"

His words finally seemed to stir the man; he looked up, and Takako gasped. His eyes were blood red.

"The age of gods," the man said in a low monotone, "is over."

"W-What?" Takako's horse whinnied and began to skirt backward, its tail whipping about nervously. He reached down to pat the horse's side, but his hand was shaking. "Age of gods? What the heck are you talking about?"

The man stared blankly forward, his face an impassive mask. Takako waited in silence for… _what?_ He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. Just ride away? He supposed that if some creepy guy with vision problems wanted to stand out here in the middle of the night, he was well within his right to do so. Takako shrugged and clucked his tongue, signaling his horse to go around, but then a twig snapped just on the trail behind them. The man's head jerked toward the sound, an expectant grin curving his lips.

 _"Kentaro?"_ a man asked from behind them.

Takako whipped around. Tasuki was standing to the left of the horse, holding his weird fan against his shoulder. "What th' hell are ya doin' out 'ere?" The redhead narrowed his eyes at the bandit, this "Kentaro" person. "Yer supposed ta be gittin' some rest, not standin' out here like a jackass in th' middle o' th' night!"

A dull pang grew in Takako's chest. Tasuki had been following him…did that mean he'd failed?

"So this guy is one of the Reikaku bandits?" Takako glanced back at the man and frowned. "Is he okay?"

"No, but he'll be _dead_ when I'm through wit 'im," Tasuki scoffed. He addressed Kentaro again. "Kouji warned me yer lazy ass was fakin' it. Can't trust ya as far as I can throw ya!" He jerked his chin at him. " _Well?_ Least ya can do is _try_ ta make up a good excuse."

Kentaro chuckled. The sound was thick and halting, as if he'd never done it before. "I've been waiting for you. I'm glad you could join me." He raised his arm slowly and reached for the scabbard at his side. With a sharp metallic sound, he pulled a long, wicked yanmaodao free and couched into position. The red of his eyes spread until it was a shimmering aura around his body. "You will not succeed this time, warrior. I will make sure of it."

A pinprick of heat poked Takako in the chest, and he flinched. When he glanced down, the gemstone around his neck was pulsing bright. His eyes widened.

"…Oh," he murmured, clenching his dagger tighter. This wasn't part of the test, was it?

"Kentaro!" Tasuki mirrored the man's stance, his fan wielded like a shield in front of him. "Have you lost yer fuckin' mind?"

"Kashira, he's not crazy!" Takako coaxed his horse backward, out of range from the escalating situation. "Something's possessed him!"

Tasuki whipped around to face him; he actually looked _annoyed_. "You've _gotta_ be kiddi—"

Takako pointed. "—Kashira! Behind you!"

The bandit reacted just in time; the blade sung as it clashed against his fan. With supernatural speed, Tasuki batted the yanmaodao away and lunged forward, grabbing the man's dominant hand. He twisted Kentaro's wrist and slammed his free hand into the man's opposite shoulder. The yanmaodao clattered harmlessly to the forest floor. Kentaro jumped back, his fists raised—he didn't seem to miss his sword at all.

"Get outta here, kid!" Tasuki shouted, dragging the yanmaodao toward him with his foot. "I'll take care of him; _you_ head back to th' stronghold!"

Takako would be all for that—if he had any idea how to get back to it in the dark.

"No!" he said instead. "I'm not leaving you!"

"This ain't no time to be a hero, kid…"

Kentaro lunged again, swinging his fist wildly. One moment Tasuki was standing there, tense and poised to spring, and then, with a flash of red, he was gone. Kentaro's momentum sent him stumbling forward, and a well-placed kick from behind was all it took to send him crashing to the ground. Takako stared at Tasuki; he'd never even seen the man move. When had he gotten behind Kentaro?

Tasuki walked over to the bandit and planted his boot in the center of his back. "Don't move," he growled. "Or I swear I'll burn ya ta a crisp."

Takako gawked. _Wow_. A demon-possessed bandit, and Tasuki had taken him out in only two moves?

"Suzaku no Tasuki," Kentaro whispered, his voice muffled by the dirt. "Your god cannot protect you here any longer." He laughed. "Soon it will be too late."

"Oh, really? Well, how 'bout ya jump outta my friend there an' we can have a nice, civil chat all 'bout it."

Kentaro laughed again. "I think I have a better idea."

The red light surrounding his body burned brighter for a moment, and then a cloud of—Takako could only describe it as smoke—oozed out of Kentaro's back. Tasuki leaped away brandishing his fan, his golden eyes following the oily, smoky creature as it slithered through the sky. Holes formed in the smoke cloud that vaguely resembled eyes and a toothy smile; the grin widened for a split second before the entire cloud vanished.

 _"Hey!"_ Tasuki flailed his fan. "Get back 'ere!"

Takako dropped down from his horse and wandered closer to Tasuki, his dagger clenched so hard in his hand his knuckles were aching. His gemstone was still burning, so he pulled it out of his shirt to reduce the contact with his skin. Taking deep, calming breaths, he searched the forest around them for movement, but the light of his lantern just made the shadows stretch longer and deeper…

He stiffened. Wait. Those…those weren't…

Tasuki cursed. "Ya feel that, kid?" he muttered. "We're surrounded."

Those weren't shadows. They were…

"Is this more to your liking, Suzaku no Tasuki?" a voice called out from the darkness. "One on one really isn't fun for either of us, after all."

Takako grinded his teeth until his jaw popped. There was no way his tiny little dagger would do anything to help him this time.

"Here, kid." Tasuki offered him the hilt of Kentaro's yanmaodao. "I'm really hopin' ya know how ta use this."

Takako nodded, sheathing his dagger before taking the yanmaodao in his hands. The metal was newly polished and razor sharp. He shivered, instantly imagining the damage it could've done to him if Tasuki hadn't shown up.

"Thanks, kashira."

He jerked his chin, his gaze scanning the landscape. "Don't thank me yet, kid. Stay close."

The trees rustled, and then figures started to emerge. Tasuki whispered something under his breath, and the fan in his hands glowed red before bursting into flames. Takako let out a small cry of surprise, but Tasuki simply lifted it like a torch until he had illuminated most of the field. A string of soft curses exploded from his mouth.

"Damn it," the seishi hissed. "It got you guys, too?!"

 _What?_ Takako glanced around. There were at least twenty men surrounding them, all in various stages of undress, as if they had just rolled out of bed and decided to go for a walk. Definitely bandits, Takako thought—he could tell by the practiced, yet unrefined way they held their weapons, the skin tanned brown from the sun, the hairy arms and legs covered with the scars of battle. These were all Tasuki's men…what in the world could possibly be powerful enough to possess all of them at the same time?

"You look pale, Suzaku no Tasuki," one of the men called. The voice was wrong, somehow; two tones combined into one deep, low warble. "Have you seen a ghost?"

"If ya hurt any one of my men," Tasuki growled, "I'll make ya beg for death."

"You smell delicious, warrior," another man across the clearing said. "That power…I will have it. I will drain you dry." The man turned to Takako. "And yours, too."

Takako stepped back. "What?"

"He's tryna psyche ya out, kid. Don't let 'im git to ya." Tasuki moved closer to him, partially shielding him with his side. "I'm gonna distract 'im, then I want ya to run fer it."

"But—"

"You will fail," another man shouted. "You will die!"

"Fuck, I can't use my tessen," Tasuki muttered to himself. "I can't risk hurtin' th' guys. But what chance do I have if…?"

But the taunting was over. All at once, all twenty men charged.

Tasuki swung the fan. "Rekka…Shin'nen!"

The grass at their feet ignited, forming a wall of flame that surrounded Tasuki and Takako on three sides. A few isolated cries of pain sprang up over the sound of the roaring fire; through the dancing wisps, Takako watched the men jump back and approach slowly at the one safe opening.

Tasuki planted himself in front of it, grinning. "Ya wanted me, right? Well come an' get it!"

Takako watched from the ring's center as three foolish bandits lunged at once. Tasuki dodged a punch and smashed the bandit's nose, then spun on his heel and kicked another in the gut. He was amazing! He moved so fast Takako could barely keep up, but when his blows landed, they landed hard. Within minutes, five men were sprawled in a pile in front of the fire shelter. But the rest of them were getting impatient.

While Tasuki grabbed one man in a chokehold, another wielding a wicked pair of broadswords creeped up on him from the left, priming to strike. Before Takako could open his mouth to warn him, Tasuki flicked his wrist, sending a small knife flying into the man's kneecap. He buckled as Tasuki released the now unconscious bandit from the chokehold; the redhead disappeared again, and then his fist was colliding with the back of the swordsman's head. Two more down.

Takako glanced around. However many were left, all but one had retreated back to the shadows. The man laughed that creepy, halting laugh, standing just outside the reach of the fire. "You miscalculated, Suzaku no Tasuki."

Tasuki planted a fist on his hip, flashing a cocky grin. "An' how's that? Yer side is lookin' a lil' worse fer wear, already!"

The bandit grinned. "Because you care a lot more about these men's lives than I do." And without preamble, he walked straight into the flames.

Tasuki let out an anguished yell. "I swear ta Suzaku, when I git my hands on ya, ya lil' shit—!" He jumped to the right, narrowly avoiding an arrow whizzing past his head. "Fuckin' hell!"

Hands clamped around Takako's upper arms and yanked him backward, toward the flames. "AH!" The stench of burning flesh filled his nose. He turned his head as much as he could manage—the bandit pulling him was being consumed, flames licking up his arms and legs. The fool had walked straight through the wall!

Takako's necklace pounded a steady rhythm against his breastbone, and then he felt it—the crackling energy pouring from it into his body, coating his world in the same vivid, violet tones.

Takako pulled his arms forward and rammed the bandit hard in the stomach. The hands on him loosened, and the boy jerked away, pivoting until he faced the man. With a determined grunt, Takako swung his yanmaodao, and several arcs of purple energy followed his arm and crashed into the bandit. He stumbled backward into the fire, and with a hoarse scream, was devoured by the flames.

Something flickered in the corner of his eye. Takako turned to see that Tasuki was gone, and three more bandits had snuck up behind him, blocking the exit. Now there was no way out, unless he wanted to be turned into a charred corpse like those other two guys.

"Fuck!" Reluctantly, he edged closer to the center of the ring, his gaze flicking past the flames to the shadows dancing over the trees. If someone else jumped out at him while he was dealing with these three, and with all of them carrying swords…

One of the bandits stepped forward. Takako swung his yanmaodao again, in three quick strokes. His form was atrocious, he was sure—but as long as he kept them at a distance, it didn't matter. The sound of energy and fire crackled in his ears; he watched as two of the bandits jerked backward, shredded by the ki he'd hurled at them. Blood splattered their clothes, and he cringed, but there wasn't anything else he could do, was there?

The last bandit laughed. "You…child. What _are_ you?"

Sweat dripped down Takako's back. Hours of travel had drained him; now, the yanmaodao felt like it was made out of lead. He gritted his teeth. "W-Wrong question. W-What the hell are _you_?"

The bandit grinned enigmatically, but said nothing more. He stretched his arm out beside him, and the same oily smoke as before rose from the other two bandits and flew into his chest. They dropped soundlessly to the ground. The malevolent red aura danced around the last man standing before fading to a deep, dark burgundy.

Takako's gem was trembling, yearning to be used; so naturally, he obliged.

The gem's energy coated his blade, and the sound of it coalescing was like soft whispers in his ear. The bandit rushed him, and Takako ducked just in time to miss the edge of the man's dagger. His thrusts were lightning quick and efficient, and before Takako knew it, he felt the heat of the wall against his back.

The man lunged forward again, his dagger aiming for Takako's heart. No way backward or forward…Takako tucked his arms and rolled to the right, a sharp pain slicing up his thigh. Bouncing back to his feet, he swung wildly, sending shards of energy flying.

The glowing aura around the bandit flared as he quickly dodged them. He laughed raucously. "Bravo!" he cried. "Encore!"

Takako grimaced. Blood trickled down his leg. The blade had cut pretty deep; he was having trouble putting all his weight on that side. If the man got his hands on him, he was through…The possessed bandit grinned, his eyes twinkling as if he knew exactly what Takako was thinking.

Takako's skin prickled. A hand seized his neck from behind, someone wrenched his hair back, and then he was staring at yet another bandit, who had a fresh gash curving over his nose. Where the hell were they coming from? _And where the hell was Tasuki?_

"This is what happens when you don't carry your own weight, ningen," the ringleader whispered, his eyes glowing bright. "You get in over your head."

The hand tightened on Takako's throat. He gasped out for air, his grip loosening on the sword. "Urgh—!"

"Why don't I put you out of your misery," the man choking him whispered, nuzzling Takako's cheek, "and drain you dry, right here and now?"

What had happened to Tasuki? Had he really left him here, all alone? To die?

It'd been hard enough to breathe through the smoke; now, his lungs were screaming for air. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. _Air, please. Air._

 _Gods, don't let me die._

The ringleader planted himself directly in front of Takako, smirking. "Let's see how loud I can make you scream."

Something cold and sharp slid into his chest. His gemstone shook with fury. Violet coated his vision.

 _"NO!"_

XXXXXX

Tasuki staggered to his feet. The first few bandits had been lightweights, but now he was definitely getting his money's worth.

Kentaro grinned at him, his teeth stained red with his own blood. After Tasuki had sprinted off to track down the archer, he'd found himself distracted by another round of assholes. In the meantime, the demon had slithered into Kentaro again. "Feelin' under th' weather, _kashira_?"

It was his regular voice—a low, lighthearted drawl—and the mismatch between that and the man's demonic eyes sent a shiver up Tasuki's spine. It wasn't right, but fuck, none of this was!

How the hell was he going to tell the rest of the guys that Eiji was dead and it was _his_ fault?

Rage made Tasuki's muscles tense and his movements jerky, but he reined it in. "I don't know what th' fuck ya want wit me," he growled, "but leave my men outta it. Yer not gonna win this, no matter what."

Kentaro grinned, twirling a dagger between his fingers. "Who said I was tryna _win_ , kashira? This is jus' th' beginnin'." His body shimmered a deep, dark burgundy, and it had been ever since he absorbed more of that weird smoke from four of the other bandits…was that what was making him stronger?

 _If all these guys are possessed by th' same demon,_ Tasuki thought, _maybe splittin' itself up so many ways weakens it…gotta be it._

It made no difference, though…Tasuki was the only one who had to fight fair, as the giant gash in his arm clearly demonstrated. What the fuck now?

 _Least th' kid got out. Now I can—_

 _"NO!"_

Tasuki stiffened, a burning rock settling in his stomach. _Fuck, Takako!_

He whipped his head around and watched as his flames receded, apparently starved of air by a bright, violet light. Reflexively, Tasuki reached behind him for his tessen, but a hand seized his fist.

"Tsk, tsk. Ya forgot th' number one rule of banditin', kashira," Kentaro murmured. "Don't take yer damn eyes off yer opponent."

Before Tasuki could react, Kentaro raised his opposite hand and plunged it into the redhead's chest.

His back arched as his breath left him in a rush. "Shit—!"

His knees buckled beneath him, and Kentaro followed him to the ground. A thousand small blades were being shoved under his skin, into his heart, into his blood. And all the while, he felt a tug somewhere deep—something heavy and powerful being drained from him. He felt himself resisting, felt wall after wall forming in his mind, but Kentaro shattered them all, one by one, until Tasuki felt himself losing consciousness.

Kentaro moaned. "Yes, Suzaku warrior…Give in." The slick, dissonant voice was back. "And when I'm done with you…I'll finish the rest of them…Kouji…Anzu." The man's face blanched for a second, his red eyes widening before he shook his head.

Tasuki narrowed his eyes. "Th' hell…ya will!"

He kept a spare dagger in his boot. If he could just… _Just move yer damn fingers already!_

Even though he was doing the demon's bidding, Kentaro was still in there, somewhere. Even as the fucker drained him dry, Tasuki could tell Kentaro was struggling for control. Maybe if he gave a little push…

"Ya know…" Tasuki winced; his chest burned with every breath. "I've met…a lot of demons in my day…but you've…gotta be th' lousiest."

Kentaro frowned, but he didn't let up even a little. "Oh? How so, Suzaku no Tasuki?"

"Ya know I'm not th' only seishi left, right? Still got one more, an' he's _really_ fuckin' good at slaughterin' no-good assholes like you." He groaned. "So I'd be pretty…damn careful…'bout messin' wit me."

Kentaro's eyebrows furrowed. "Are ya seriously waitin' fer another _man_ ta come an' rescue ya?" He threw his head back and howled with laughter. "I know yer not inta women, kashira, but honestly…this is pathetic."

It felt like a nail was being hammered into his skull, but he schooled his face into an expression of meek embarrassment. "Me an' 'Chiri go way back," Tasuki said with a sigh. "Ya wouldn't understand."

Kentaro's eyes widened. Tasuki gasped as the pressure on his chest eased. "So yer sayin'…you an' th' monk…?"

Tasuki glanced away shyly. "It…sorta jus' happened. I didn't expect it ta. But I know that, no matter what…" He threw his head back and shouted: "CHICHIRI WILL ALWAYS COME FER ME!"

He stared up at the treetops, listening intently. Nothing. Another violent pull ripped at his insides, and his vision blacked out momentarily. _Godsdamnit, ya useless waste of a monk!_

Oh well. Was worth a shot.

Kentaro narrowed his eyes. "What kinda kashira lets himself uke fer a weird fox-faced man with blue hair?!" he spat. And for the first time, he blinked, and his eyes were brown.

Tasuki slammed the dagger down into Kentaro's forearm. The tugging sensation vanished as Kentaro jerked backward, howling in agony, his eyes glowing bright red again.

 _Sorry, buddy,_ he thought. _This is gonna hurt._

He grabbed Kentaro's shoulders and head-butted him hard in the face.

Kentaro crashed backward to the ground. A moment later, the oily smoke poured from his mouth and then vanished.

Tasuki glanced around. There was no one else left the demon could jump into except… His eyes widened. _Shit, th' kid!_

Jumping to his feet, he pulled his tessen free and raced for the other side of the clearing. Sections of the field were still smoldering, wisps of smoke rising from the charred stretches of earth. He cringed as he walked through it, his senses on high alert. Just in case, he held his breath.

"Let go of me!" The voice was high. Hysteric.

Tasuki pivoted on his heel toward the voice and ran. "Hang on, kid, I'm comin'!"

Takako held the yanmaodao in a loose grip, a shimmering violet light encasing his body. Three bandits had surrounded him—one at his back, two at his front—but they held their ground. Whatever that weird purple light was, the bandits didn't like it—every time Takako took another swing at them, they flinched.

Favoring one leg, the boy was covered in so much mud and soot that Tasuki couldn't tell how badly he was injured, but he wouldn't last long regardless. He flung out with the yanmaodao again, and arcs of energy of the same bright purple color followed his swing, cutting into the fighters. But they barely moved.

"That might've worked the first time," the demon in the brown-haired man's—that was Souta, wasn't it?—body said. "But I'm not distracted by the celestial warrior anymore. Now I can focus all my attention on _you_."

Tasuki called on his seishi speed and punched one of the bandits in the face, sending him flying. He planted himself in front of Souta as the other guy struggled back to his feet. "Think again, asshole!"

Takako jerked, his eyes widening in fear at the sound of Tasuki's voice before they softened in relief. "Kashira!"

Souta bared his teeth in an imitation of a smile. "What an odd couple you two make. A celestial warrior slumming in the mountains…and a pathetic boy with stolen power." He raised his liuyedao. "Let me put you out of your misery."

Souta's body burned a deep, dark maroon color, while the other two were a faint crimson. Tasuki herded Takako against him, standing so he could keep an eye on all three bandits at once. "I've already taken out a dozen of you fuckers. What's three more?"

"You can't defend the boy and fight us at the same time," Souta said. "You don't even know him…but you would put his life over those of your own men?" He scoffed. "Some kashira you are."

Tasuki clenched his fist over the hilt of his tessen, feeling the metal dig into his palm. _If I take out th' other two, he's jus' gonna absorb their power an' git even stronger,_ he thought, _but at least I don't have ta worry 'bout th' kid gettin' ambushed._ His gaze slanted over to Takako; the boy was hunched over, his arms trembling from the strain of keeping the yanmaodao upright. A faint glimmer still coated the blade, and Tasuki could hear the distinct sound of a sharp wind whistling past them. Which didn't make a lick of sense: The air was thick and stagnant.

 _Who th' hell_ is _this kid?_

"As if I'd take leadership advice from a demon," Tasuki snarled, crouching. "Let's jus' get this over with, already!"

Souta grinned. "Gladly." With a battle cry, he pounced. His blade slammed against the tessen, both men putting the full force of their bodies against their weapons. Tasuki clenched his teeth and dug the toe of his boot into the soft ground. Souta laughed at him and lurched back, sending the redhead reeling. But just as Souta swung his blade, ready to cut Tasuki's head clean off, shards of energy slammed into his chest and forced him back.

"Kashira!" Takako yelped from somewhere off behind him. "Help!"

Tasuki righted himself and kicked Souta full in the chest. He then swept his leg underneath the bandit, knocking him to the ground. The back of Souta's head collided with a log, and his body went limp.

Tasuki spun on his heel and faced Takako, who was struggling to get free after one of the bandits had locked his arms around the boy's waist. The other man was advancing on them both with his sword raised.

"Rekka…SHIN'NEN!"

Flames grazed the swordsman's arms, and he let out a high-pitched yelp. He dropped the sword just as Takako kicked out wildly, clipping him right in the jaw. Tasuki leapt across the field and delivered a roundhouse kick to the man's chest; this time, he stayed down.

Takako rammed his elbow into his captor's gut over and over again until the man finally let go of him. Dropping to his knees, Takako ducked his head so Tasuki could deliver another series of quick punches to the bandit's gut, followed by another sweeping kick. The man crashed to the ground, and Takako whacked him hard in the head with the hilt of the yanmaodao for good measure.

Tasuki snorted out a laugh. "Nice one, ki—"

Eyes widening, Takako squawked and scrambled away on all fours. Seconds later, Souta rammed into Tasuki from behind. His hands broke the fall, but pain lanced up his arms as sharp rock bit into his skin. Souta growled, straddling Tasuki's back as he grabbed a fistful of the redhead's hair and held his head at an uncomfortable, rigid angle. Tasuki repressed a flinch as Souta's cold blade slid against his jugular.

"I've grown bored of this," Souta murmured, applying a hint of pressure. Warm blood trickled down Tasuki's throat, soaking the front of his vest. "Your poor fool. All your prayers and tributes, and where has it gotten you?"

"If yer gonna threaten me, th' _least_ ya can do is make some damn sense!" Tasuki couldn't move without getting himself killed, but the demon had to be bluffing—whatever it wanted from him, it hadn't gotten it yet; otherwise, he'd already be dead.

Souta racked his fingernails over Tasuki's back. His chest tightened as he felt the demon begin to drain his energy again, but slowly, as if he was teasing him. _Tasting_ him. Souta chuckled. "So impatient." His clawed fingers buried into his chest, and Tasuki bit back a scream. "Then let me give you what you seek, Suzaku no Tasuki."

A hesitant shadow flickered on the edge of Tasuki's vision, raising a long blade over its head. Tasuki stiffened.

"NOW, kid!" he roared.

Souta whipped around, forcing his knife against Tasuki's throat. In the corner of his eye, Tasuki saw Takako lurch forward and impale Souta on the end of his yanmaodao. Souta went rigid, the knife slipping from his limp fingers.

A shudder rolled over Souta, and he gasped. "Wha- _What_?" His voice had reverted to its natural raspy tone. "What th' hell?!"

Takako pulled the yanmaodao free, and Souta stumbled sideways off of Tasuki, coughing. Tasuki sat up, slapping a hand over his bleeding throat. The long, thin cut curved along his Adam's apple, just missing his windpipe.

Souta's shoulders trembled as he heaved, dark red smoke rising from his back. Once the demon was free, Souta's eyes rolled and he collapsed.

Spindly arms formed on the smoke cloud that ended in sharp talons. The demon grinned, then sprung for Takako.

The boy squawked and swung his sword at it. "Get away from me!" Purple waves cleaved the smoke into smaller wisps, and a sudden breeze broke them up and carried them away.

"This isn't over," the demon said, its voice fading on the wind. "This…is only the beginning of our game, Suzaku no Tasuki."

Tasuki and Takako rested in silence, buzzing cicadas thrumming in the background. The world was pitch black, save for the faint, flickering light of the smoldering earth and the weak glow of Takako's lantern, smashed and dying in the grass.

Tasuki stared at Takako's yanmaodao, watching as the faint glimmer faded away. He really hadn't expected the kid's attack to do anything more than piss the demon off and distract it, but… _holy shit_. He glanced at Souta, who was lying in the grass, his chest slowly rising and falling as if he'd just settled down for a nice nap. Tasuki narrowed his eyes. The man's sleep shirt was wrinkled and dirty, but intact. Not even so much as a rip, and not a hint of blood. The sword had gone straight through him without touching him at all.

"Kid…" Tasuki looked from Takako to Souta and back again. "What…what th' _hell_ jus' happened?"

Souta should be dead. Not that Tasuki was complaining, but why wasn't he dead?!

"I…don't know," Takako said, his wide eyes glassy. "I…I've never done anything like that before."

Tasuki eased to his feet, retrieving his tessen from where he'd dropped it. "Rekka Shin'nen," he said between clenched teeth, clutching his side. An eager flame exploded from the fan, illuminating a field of bodies. A couple of strained groans and moans trickled up from the ground. None of these men would be in fighting shape anytime soon, but for the most part they'd live… Tasuki's eyes landed on one of the two corpses, and his anger flared hot and heavy. "I can't believe this shit!" he snarled.

"…Ugh." Tasuki turned. Takako had sunk to his knees, leaning heavily on his sword. "I…I don't feel too good, kashira."

 _Shit._ Tasuki rushed over and knelt beside him, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hang in there, kid…ya think ya can manage ta walk till we find that horse?"

Takako nodded. "Y-Yeah. Just…give me a moment. Please."

"Take all th' time ya need, kid."

Up close, Tasuki could see the faint red stain smearing the boy's pants leg, and he felt a spike of guilt. He'd meant to draw the rest of the bandits _away_ from the kid—give him the time to get away—but they'd come right after him, anyway. And although Takako seemed more or less intact, Tasuki knew this was way more than either of them had bargained for on a first day.

 _No such thing as a dull moment fer me, is there?_ Tasuki thought bitterly.

"K-Kashira…" Takako took in a big gulp of air, rubbing at his throat. "What _was_ that? That… _thing_?"

Tasuki sighed, bowing his head. "I dunno, but at this rate I won't be able ta pass out wit a bottle o' mijiu fer a long, long time." When he looked up, Takako was staring at him. Judging him.

"You're mad that a demon attack…" Takako squinted his eyes. "…means you can't drink mijiu?"

Tasuki snorted. "Look, kid, if ya had any idea what I…never mind." He pushed to his feet, groaning out loud. "Anyway. Looks like we're gonna need some reinforcements; I'll double back an' get some more of th' guys, an' some horses. Ain't no way I'm draggin' these heavy assholes all th' way back."

Takako moved to stand, but then thought better of it, his shoulders hunching farther over the yanmaodao. "Y-You're not going to _leave_ me here, are you?"

"'Course not! What would make ya say that?"

Takako stared at the ground. His eyes were downcast, defeated. "There's…no magic dagger for me to find, is there?" His soft voice was a void.

 _Aw, hell._ Tasuki rubbed the back of his head, tilting it up toward the treetops. "No, kid," he said softly, apologetically. "Doesn't exist."

Fuck…all of this? For a wild goose chase? There was no way Tasuki could've predicted that any of this shit would happen, but he couldn't blame the kid if he ended up hating his guts, all the same. What kind of kashira was he, indeed.

Takako's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, his mouth a grim line. "So you… _lied_ to me?"

Tasuki cursed under his breath. "I lie to _everyone_ who comes 'ere tryna be a bandit, kid," he said. "Yer no exception."

"B-But…so…you never expected me to pass? You were…never gonna make me a bandit."

Tasuki thought suddenly of Anzu: _Disappointment like that stays with you._ Fuck, he couldn't just tell the kid to go fuck himself, could he?

"I didn't say that, kid," Tasuki said, his voice soft and measured. "Sure, the story is fake, but what's really important is how ya tackle an' adapt ta a challenge." He hesitated, noting the boy's haggard appearance, but the dead look in Takako's eyes made up his mind. "An'…ya really held yer own back there."

Takako narrowed his eyes at him. _"Really?"_

"Yeah, kid. Really. Yer still alive, ain't ya? Shit, one wrong move an' ya could've been—"

Takako paled, wrapping his arms around his waist. Yes, he was well aware of what could've happened…and he wasn't taking the thought of it well.

 _Okay, asshole,_ Tasuki thought, mentally kicking himself. _Let's try this again._ He cleared his throat and nodded at the gemstone. "Why didn't ya mention ya could use magic, kid? I sure as hell woulda taken ya more seriously if I knew ya were carryin' somethin' like that along!"

The distraction worked; Takako flushed scarlet, his fear forgotten. "I…don't want to depend on it too much."

Now _that_ surprised him. Magical jewelry that could expel demons? Fuck, Tasuki would put that shit on right now! "An' why th' hell not, kid? Magic ain't no bad thing."

Takako traced symbols in the dirt. "I…don't want to use it as a crutch."

Tasuki brandished his tessen, frowning. " _MY_ best weapon uses pure magic, kid. Yer sayin' _I'm_ usin' a crutch? Not ta mention I've broken somethin' in my leg more times than I can count…so, what—it's better fer me to jus' lie in th' middle o' th' floor like a jackass an' wait fer death than ta use somethin' that could help me get around?"

"No! That's different! You're Suzaku no Tasuki! You don't need help from anyone!"

Tasuki folded his arms, cocking a hip. "Yer gonna haveta explain yer logic, kid, 'cause yer makin' no sense."

Takako nibbled on his lip, one hand curling around the gemstone. Its color had paled, turning a murky whitish purple, but it still flared at his touch. As much as the boy claimed to not want to depend on the thing, his body relaxed instantly the moment he made contact with it.

"Someone…gave this to me," Takako whispered, "because they didn't think I could handle being on my own." He clenched his fist. "I…want to prove them wrong."

"This that ma of yers ya've been talkin' 'bout?"

"…Maybe."

Tasuki scoffed. "Hmph, figures. Leave it ta a woman to meddle in manly business."

 _That meddlesome woman prolly jus' saved yer life, though,_ Tasuki thought before forcing it away.

"Like that woman you were talking to?" Takako blinked up at him. "Anzu-san?"

"Eh? Oh, right. But Anzu's even worse than a regular woman."

"What's…worse than that?"

Tasuki sighed. "A woman who can kick yer ass up, down, and sideways in a fight. You'll never get her to shut up about it."

Takako's eyes went distant. "Isn't that the truth," he muttered, pulling out blades of grass and flicking them away.

Tasuki studied the boy. He'd just been attacked by twenty possessed bandits, and not only was he still alive, he hadn't complained or cried about it once. And Tasuki didn't understand it, but whatever magic was in that necklace would definitely come in handy…especially if, or rather when, that demon decided to show up again.

 _But fuck,_ Tasuki thought, _I_ really _don't wanna be responsible fer some snot-nosed kid._

What would Hakurou do?

Hakurou would size the boy up, make sure he was spirited enough, which he obviously was, and then give him a shot, his age be damned. That was, after all, how Tasuki himself had gotten there. He rubbed his hand over his face. Come to think of it, a lot of this was starting to feel _very_ familiar.

 _Heh,_ Tasuki thought with a smirk, _I even said he was barely off his ma's tit, didn't I? Sweet Suzaku, I really am turnin' into th' boss._

 _Not that that's a bad thing,_ he finished quickly.

Another anguished groan from behind him drove home the reality: He was down twenty guys while a demon was still on the loose. Who knew how many more of his men were at risk, and someone still had to do the bullshit tasks that kept the stronghold running in the meantime.

But if Tasuki assigned those bullshit tasks to a certain precocious thirteen-year-old…he could focus completely on ripping that demon to shreds without putting the kid in harm's way. Right now it was as good an option as any.

 _Anzu ain't gonna let me live this down, I jus' know it._ Tasuki took a deep breath.

"Lesson number one, kid: If a woman tells ya _anything_ , ya better get at least three men ta agree 'fore ya believe it," he said. "Lucky fer ya, we outnumber them fifty ta one here, but Anzu's got my second-in-command, Kouji, wrapped 'round 'er finger." He stabbed a finger at the boy for emphasis. " _Don't_ underestimate her. If ya do, that's when she'll strike."

"Um…okay." Takako's eyes widened. " _Wait!_ Does that mean…?"

"I'm puttin' ya on probation, kid," Tasuki deadpanned. "Consider it th' next round o' tests. Congrats."

Takako struggled to his feet, letting the yanmaodao fall to the ground with a thud. His brown eyes stared up into Tasuki's, searching them for…what? Tasuki raised his eyebrows expectantly; apparently that was just the answer the boy was looking for, because his face brightened with a toothy smile and he flung himself at Tasuki.

"THANK YOU!" His words vibrated against the bandit's chest.

"What th—for th' love of Suzaku—!" Tasuki pushed him off, holding him by the shoulders at arm's length. "Okay, rule number two: NO huggin' th' leader."

"Never?" Takako asked, his smile slipping.

" _NO_."

"Not even—"

" ** _NO_**."

"But—"

"You don't know how ta take 'no' fer an answer, huh, kid? Well, I got bad news fer ya: Yer gonna have ta get use ta hearin' it if ya wanna stay!"

Takako inhaled deeply. "What if there's a big battle and I thought you died and you didn't and we meet back up could I hug you then?"

Tasuki stared at him, his eyes going cross as he attempted to understand the boy's rapid-fire question. "Okay, I'll humor ya jus' this once an' say, if at any point it looks like I'm gonna die, ya can hug me. With one arm. And not a _moment_ sooner, ya hear me?" Takako nodded. "Ya get one more question, kid. Better make sure it's a good one this time, or I might rescind my offer."

Takako tugged at the hem of his tunic. "Um…that fan you have—"

"—It's a tessen."

"Right. You said you didn't want to use it, 'cause you didn't want to hurt your men. But you used it anyway." Takako blushed, looking away from Tasuki's intense stare. "Um…I just wondered why…that's all."

" _That's_ th' first thing that came ta yer mind?"

"Well…I think you wouldn't have done it unless you thought it was the right decision. But…I don't know why it was." He squirmed. "I-I want to learn how to be a good fighter, and I want you to teach me, so that means I have to know how a good fighter thinks, right?"

Tasuki stared at him.

 _"…Right?"_ Takako said meekly.

"The flattery might've kept me from tossin' ya ta th' wolves, but it ain't gonna save ya from this point on, kid," Tasuki grumbled, hiding his blush behind his bangs.

"I know! I…" Takako bounced on his heels. "I _really_ want to know! Swear!"

Tasuki huffed. "Rule number three of banditin': Go after th' weakest link."

Takako stopped bouncing. "Eh?"

"Ain't no way I could've fought off twenty guys _and_ kept ya from gettin' killed," Tasuki said. "They were gonna go after ya ta keep me distracted. At least wit th' wall there, they couldn't attack from all sides; they'd have to go through _me_ first." His gaze flicked to the charred corpse, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "At least that was the _plan_ …"

"So…those two men…" Takako bit his lip. "They're dead…because of me?"

" _Gods,_ kid. They're dead 'cause a fuckin' _demon_ possessed 'em. Had nothin' ta do with ya. Got that?"

"…Hai." Silence fell. "Kashira?"

"What now, kid?"

"I'm sorry. Even if you think it's not my fault…I'm sorry you had to make that choice, anyway."

Tasuki snorted, but his lip tipped up. "Still sure ya want ta be a bandit, kid? Ya couldn't have picked a worse fuckin' time ta show up here."

Takako nodded rapidly. "Mhm! Even if there's a demon on Mt. Reikaku, I know we can handle it. I have faith in you, kashira."

"What's this talk about _we_ , kid? When that demon shows up again, I'm not lettin' ya anywhere near it!"

"But why? You said—"

"—Yer gonna earn yer keep jus' like every other new scrap of meat we get. That means cleanin', cookin', doin' laundry—"

"—What about teaching me how to shoot an arrow or box?"

"Oh, we'll get to that…" He smirked. "In, oh, say a year or two."

"A whole _year?_ I'll be practically on my deathbed by then!"

"Then I guess yer gonna haveta hope someone else new comes soon ta take yer place then, ain't ya?"

Takako pouted. "No fair."

"An' that's rule number four, kid: Life is gonna fuck ya o'er a time or two. Get used ta it."

A wrinkle formed between Takako's brows, his tongue poking out slightly. "But if life…uh, screws me over, I can say it, right?"

"Say…what?"

"Er, what you just said." He was _blushing_. Oh for the love of—

"Fuck," Tasuki said, making Takako flinch. "Yer askin' _me_ , a bandit, if I'm gonna let ya say th' word, 'fuck.'"

Takako's blush deepened as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. "Uh, well…"

Tasuki arched an eyebrow. "That ma of yers kept ya on a pretty tight leash, ain't she?"

"Uhhhhhh."

Tasuki laughed despite himself. As much as he'd seen in his twenty-one years, this definitely came near the top of his "What the Fuck is Happening to Me?" List.

"Well, yer in luck, kid," Tasuki said, clapping Takako on the back. They both winced. "Startin' today, you'll never have to worry 'bout yer meddlesome, no-good ma ever again."


	3. Sight Unseen

**Chapter Three: Sight Unseen**

Kameyo sneezed. _Damn, it's allergy season already?_ she thought, rubbing her nose.

"—And he was _so_ big, but gentle, too." Natsu was _still_ talking. The woman sighed in longing, her arms wrapped around her midsection. "I'm surprised I can still stand upright."

"Hm." Kameyo squinted at her ledger, rubbing her chin. "Did we buy four or _five_ cases of flour last week?" she muttered.

"How the heck would I know?" Natsu stomped her foot, her rogue-painted lips puckered into a pout. "You're not even _listening_ to me, Kame-chan!"

Kameyo dropped her quill and turned away from the counter, resting her hip against it. "I heard you just fine, darling. You've only told me this story _fifteen times_ since it happened." She folded her arms, eyebrows raised. "And _every_ time, his dick grows another inch. Is his manhood magically enhanced? If so, we should probably come up with a way for _him_ to work here, too." She glanced up at the ceiling. "Just think of all the lonely, unfulfilled widows—"

 _"Kameyo!"_ Natsu laughed. "You're horrible. But that's why I love you." She patted Kameyo's arm. "I'm glad you've decided to come on board. It gets lonely in here sometimes with just me, and only the gods know what Asahi-niichan's doing right now."

Kameyo smiled, lifting a shoulder. "I needed a distraction, that's all. Once I balance the budget, I'm out of here." She and Natsu stared at each other and then busted out laughing. " _Okay_ , so maybe that's a pipe dream. But I'm trying to be optimistic."

Six days. It had only been _six_ days. But Kameyo already felt like she was going stir crazy.

And what the hell was this man doing with all his money? Her gaze returned to the scroll on the counter, illegible in some places, empty in others. _Eating_ it?

"Well, if it's a successful bar you're after…" Natsu leaned away and looked her up and down. "You're _definitely_ pretty enough, you know. I'm sure you could make much more money on your back than behind that counter all day."

"I don't have the disposition for it," Kameyo said simply. "Can you imagine, some rude ol' pervert grabs my ass and then I break his nose?" She shrugged. "We're all better off if I watch _your_ back rather than lie on my own. Trust me."

Natsu tapped her chin. "Hmm. Or perhaps you're just waiting for the right man to come along first." She stabbed her finger at Kameyo, eyes narrowed. "I swear, if you lay hands on my Aki—"

"—Honestly, Natsu, if I go the rest of my life without a man touching me ever again, it'll be too soon." She leered at Natsu's chest. "Not that they'd ever be tempted with _you_ around."

"Oh, please. Maybe if you didn't dress like an old peasant, you wouldn't have so much trouble attracting a good man. What do you have against a nice ruqun, anyway? With your figure—"

Kameyo tilted her head toward the window. "Hold that thought, Natsu-chan. I think I hear someone coming."

She wrinkled her nose. "What…what does that have anything to do with—"

The front door slammed open. "Cheating wench!" a man roared from the threshold, a rusty knife clutched in his grimy paws. "I'll teach ya ta cross me!"

Natsu squeaked and ducked behind the counter, while Kameyo stepped into the aisle. Her necklace pulsed a steady rhythm against her throat.

 _"Kameyo!"_ Natsu hissed. "What are you _doing_?!"

Kameyo jerked her chin. "Come on already, then," she called out. "I don't have all night."

The man roared again and charged. Kameyo braced herself…and then disappeared.

The man screeched to a stop. He revolved in a slow circle as he searched the room. "What…?" He cried out in pain as Kameyo stomped on his foot. The knife clattered to the floor right before Kameyo grabbed him by the arm and threw him over her shoulder. His back collided with a table against the far wall and toppled it with a ear-splitting snap. With a muttered groan, he slumped against the cracked, dirty wood, unconscious.

Kameyo blew out a long breath and shimmered back into sight. She walked over to the man and prodded him with her foot. He groaned again, his head lolling back.

She turned to face the counter, where Natsu stood, mouth agape.

"And _that's_ why I dress...how did you put it? Like an 'old peasant,'" Kameyo deadpanned.

"Ah…" Natsu blinked, a flurry of questions tangling together on her lips. "I…suppose that makes sense."

"Indeed." The man groaned and struggled to sit up; Kameyo pressed her foot into his shoulder. "So, as we were saying: four cases, or five?"

"Uh, five, I think," Natsu said, watching the man cautiously. "I think nii-chan bet at least one case on a Weiqi match."

Kameyo scoffed and flung the quill across the counter. "Useless man! How does he expect to make any money?!"

Natsu folded her arms on the counter and snuggled into them. "He's not making any money, anyway, Kameyo," she said with a yawn. "Everyone in Souun knows our mijiu is garbage."

Kameyo clucked her tongue. "So the mijiu is weak, he's hemorrhaging money, and this shop is constantly being vandalized by drunken idiots." She pulled at the roots of her hair. " _Why_ did I agree to do this, again?!"

Natsu raised her eyebrows. "Because you love me?"

"Hm, I don't think that's it."

"Because you're a homeless, vulgar woman with no husband and no wealth?" Natsu said sweetly. "And we let you room here for free?"

Kameyo suppressed a wince. "Hm, I suppose…that's as good a reason as any."

"Let's also not forget that your only heir—to the wealth you don't even have—left you to join a group of bandits."

Kameyo grimaced. "Natsu—"

"And your difficult nature _certainly_ doesn't earn you any—"

"—NATSU! I get it."

Fine, fine, so she was old, and poor, and single, and dressed like a peasant. So what? She didn't have the time, nor the inclination, to give a shit.

But the fact that Takako had left her here? To join a group of bandits to do gods knows what? She was trying not to take it personally, but it felt like a slap in the face. She'd spent the last eleven years of her life doing nothing but raising that kid. What the hell was she supposed to do _now_?

"I'm just saying," Natsu murmured, her eyes softening, "that maybe you should stop chasing after those random impulses of yours and settle down, you know? Save up for a home, and some land, and grow something. Build something that you and Taka-kun can be proud of. I won't even badger you about not having a husband." Kameyo glared at her. "...Well, not _too_ much. But, maybe this is a good thing, Takako being gone. It gives him a chance to learn how to fend for himself." She pushed herself upright and flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder. "More importantly, it gives _you_ a chance to figure out what else you want out of life. Being a mother can't be _all_ that you live for."

"And why the hell not?" Kameyo grumbled. "And let me just say that's rich, coming from someone who has no experience caring for anyone but herself."

Natsu rolled her eyes. "Well, you're alone _now_ , aren't you?" She shook her head. "This is just the beginning, Kameyo. Taka-kun is going to grow into a man and have a family of his own one day. What will you have, then?"

Kameyo bit the inside of her cheek and simply glared at Natsu, her nails tapping out a frantic rhythm on the wood surface in front of her.

"Being a mother can't be your whole life because children grow up," Natsu said, walking past Kameyo toward the stairs. "And I don't have to have borne a child to know that."

Kameyo clenched and unclenched her fists. "You think _I_ don't know that?" She heard Natsu's foot pause on the first step. "I've already tried the 'normal, happy life' thing, Natsu. It doesn't work."

The staircase groaned as Natsu turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

Kameyo opened her mouth just as shocking warmth leaked from her necklace and scorched her collarbone. She slapped her palm to it. _What the hell?_

She rubbed at her chest, a wave of nausea rolling over her. She could count on one hand all the times her necklace had actually become warm to the touch…and it never meant anything good. She'd be damned if she actually knew how any of it worked, but Kameyo _had_ learned one crucial thing over her life: When magic told you something was off, you'd better pay attention.

"—yo? Kameyo?" Natsu was standing in front of her, waving her hand over her eyes. "What's wrong? You just spaced out."

"Nothing's wrong," Kameyo murmured, squeezing the gem and focusing on the thin thread that connected it to Takako's. "Just tired, that's all."

She followed the thread to the end of the pathway. The connection was steady, but weak. Takako had been using her power…a _lot_ of her power. Her eyebrows furrowed. Did that mean he was in trouble? Maybe the bandits hadn't been as receptive as he'd thought they'd be? Maybe…

She shook her head. No… _Nope_! Not going there. He'd wanted to be on his own, so he was on his own. There was no use getting worried about him all the way down here…

But damnit, he was still a scrawny little kid. What the hell was he thinking, running off to horseplay with full-grown men? And _bandits_ at that?

So what, he'd eventually get old and ornery and wouldn't want to be around her anymore. She'd deal with that when it happened. But right _now,_ she was still his mother, godsdamnit!

"Er, Natsu?" She'd never hear the end of this, but she was desperate. "If I said, _hypothetically_ , that I needed to take some time off..."

Natsu took one look at her tentative expression and laughed. "Do whatever you need to do, Kame-chan." She winked. "Just tell Takako hi for me, okay?"

"Oh, shut up," Kameyo snapped. "You know good and damn well all the drama that boy's put me through—of course I'd be protective of my investment."

Kameyo was talking nothing but bullshit, and judging by the smug grin on Natsu's face, her cousin knew it. She couldn't stop herself from being a mother hen and didn't really want to. But that didn't change the fact that she knew Natsu was right.

Every time she took stock of her son's expressive dark-brown eyes, easy smile, and smooth, pale skin, she grudgingly had to admit that he was going to grow up into a handsome, capable young man. Even with no wealth, it'd be no time before he found himself a wife.

Didn't mean she had to like it, or even accept that very soon she wouldn't be able to bring him into town without him being mauled by women. _Gods,_ what had happened to her? She'd become every overbearing mother she'd despised growing up. And she was about to climb a damn _mountain_ to meddle even more!

 _I'll just check up on him_ , she thought. _He doesn't even have to know I'm there._

"I'll make sure my fellow prostitutes keep their hands to themselves for another seven years," Natsu said mildly, as if reading her mind. "After that, I make no such promises."

"I suppose I should be impressed you have even _that_ much restraint," Kameyo said, fumbling behind the counter for her knapsack and niuweidao. "I promise I'll be back in a couple days."

"Okay. It's not like you'll miss anything." Natsu yawned, leaning against the bar as her eyes drifted closed. "See you in a week."

"I said _two days_ , Natsu."

"Yes, that's what I said. Two weeks."

Kameyo glared over her shoulder as she headed toward the door. "I curse you and your womb, Natsu. I curse you with a dozen children for all the shit you give me over my one."

"Yes, yes…I guess that just means I'll have to double up on my herbs, won't it?" She jolted awake. "Wait!" She pointed at the unconscious man still lying on the floor. "What about him?!"

Kameyo shrugged. "He'll wake up and leave soon, I guess. Better just leave him to it until then."

"But…who the hell _is_ he?!"

"How the hell should _I_ know? You tell your brother that if he wants random drunks to stop storming through his bar, maybe he should invest in some _real_ security." Kameyo grabbed the doorknob. "And better yet, invest in some _real_ mijiu! It's one thing to have people get drunk off _your_ product and trash your stuff, but it's an insult that they have to get drunk somewhere else first!"

Natsu chuckled. "I'll make sure to tell him that." She waved. "Ja ne, Kame-chan."

"Ja ne, Natsu. Give my condolences to Aki for being forced to endure your company."

"I'll give him something, all right, but it won't be condolences," Natsu muttered. "At this rate, I might even give it to him for free."

Kameyo snorted and shut the door behind her.

xxxxxx

An hour later, Kameyo stared up at the looming, dark mass in front of her. "So _this_ is Mt. Reikaku?"

Right before she'd left town, she'd stocked up on snacks and chatted up a merchant who traveled the mountain trail frequently. The path winded up rocky steeps and through thick underbrush before it evened out closer to the peak. In all, it probably would've taken her about five hours on horseback, and a little under half a day by foot. Gods, she missed Cho.

Heaving a sigh, Kameyo passed under the torii that announced the beginning of the path. A jolt of electricity shot up her foot, zipping through her body and making her hair stand on end.

"What the hell?"

She glanced at a small structure to the right of her. Delicate shide were strung along its roof, twirling in the breeze, and its base was surrounded by small trinkets: jugs of mijiu, bowls of half-eaten rice, gold coins. A shrine. Well, that explained the torii. Kameyo rubbed her chin in thought. Did that mean a kami resided here?

Why did she get the feeling that she'd been here before?

Shaking her head, she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and started walking. It was, to say the least, _unwise_ to climb a mountain alone and in the dark, but she couldn't afford to waste any time. If Takako was in danger, she needed to get there as quickly as possible.

As she walked, that strange sense of déjà vu only got stronger, and dread filled her chest. Every rustle and chirp in the surrounding forest was surely a shadowy figure about to attack her. Her legs were screaming, but she forced herself to walk faster.

The gem around her neck pulsed, heat rolling off it in waves. _Faster_ , it seemed to command. _Faster_.

Kameyo broke into a run, her bag slapping against her hip with every stride. The trees seemed to rumble with the same warnings: _Run, run, run_.

Something roared from the bushes behind her, and Kameyo screamed. She pumped her legs, angling toward a hulking shadow rising up in front of her. It was a massive cave that sloped deep into the mountain; another larger torii guarded the entrance. _I don't even know what god you are but I'll give you all my money if you keep that thing away from me!_ Kameyo begged.

She heard heavy footfalls on the ground behind her. Too heavy and low to be a person—an animal? Kameyo squawked and flung herself through the shrine's opening. Another jolt of electricity struck her, this one much stronger than the last. She bit her lip to stifle her groan of surprise and then pressed against the cave wall, curling into herself. She held her breath.

The footfalls vanished, and the steady chirp of grasshoppers filled the void. Kameyo sighed, pressing a hand to her chest. Her necklace had cooled.

 ** _Welcome back_** _,_ she suddenly thought…or maybe she heard it? But welcome back to _what?_

This whole fucking place was creeping her out. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

More importantly, what the hell had she gotten _Takako_ into? Guilt settled like a rock in her stomach. Had she given in too easily?

 _Oh well. Won't be the first time I've had to rough it,_ Kameyo thought bitterly. Takako, unfortunately, would have to wait until morning…she could only hope, she thought with another pang in her chest, that he could wait that long.

She'd expected a night full of tossing and turning, but the moment she closed her eyes and snuggled against her bag, a feeling of peace and warmth consumed her. She was asleep in seconds.

XXXXXX

"Well," Kouji drawled, standing beside the bed, "least we know now he wasn't fakin' it."

Tasuki shot him a glare. "I think I'd rather 'im be fakin' it than ta find out he's been possessed by a fuckin' _demon_ this whole time."

"Well, yeah, but think of it this way, Genrou—now, we know ol' Kentaro is still a man of honor. He's got a shiner ta make a panda jealous, sure, but godsdamnit, he's still got his integrity."

"Ow," Kentaro moaned from the bed, cradling his swollen eye. "My fuckin' head."

The nausea and the pounding in his head had faded over the past few hours, but Tasuki still felt drained; he couldn't imagine how Kentaro and the rest of those poor bastards were feeling. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets. _Fuck, I jus' want this day ta be o'er wit already._

Luckily the one man on the mountain with medical training managed to avoid getting tangled up with the demon and was treating everyone, but…Tasuki understood Kouji's need to make light of it all, but he couldn't quite bring himself to join in.

Anzu whacked Kouji over the head, saving Tasuki the trouble. "Stop joking around! This isn't funny! What's gonna stop that demon from comin' back and killin' more of our men, huh?"

" _Ow!_ Okay, okay," Kouji grumbled, looking sour. Tasuki grinned at him; watching Anzu take his best friend to task was by far the best part of them being in a relationship. "I'm jus' tryna keep a lil' lightness in the air, that's all. Obviously I ain't excited 'bout tellin' Eiji an' Ryouga's families what happened." He rubbed his chin, eyes narrowed in thought. "Makes me wonder how a demon powerful enough ta possess twenty men all at once got on th' mountain, though. Ain't seen a powerful one like that 'round here since Dokuro, right, Genrou?"

"Yeah, an' that was…what, four, five years ago?"

Kouji folded his arms. "At least. But have ya noticed? Ev'rytime I leave an' come back ta th' mountain now, it don't feel th' same. Th' shock ain't so bad as it was before, right?"

Tasuki thought back to the last time he'd left with Chichiri…he didn't remember anything strange, but they'd teleported through his kasa that time.

"I guess I never paid attention to it," Anzu said, frowning, "but you're right, it's weaker. What do you think it means?"

"Somethin' bad," Tasuki said with a sigh. "Shit, I don't got no problem beatin' Kaou bandits ta a pulp, but ain't nothin' I like 'bout a demon. If that useless fuckin' monk hadn't vanished inta thin air, I could…"

Tasuki paused long enough that Kouji and Anzu both turned to stare at him. "Ya could _what?_ " Kouji prompted.

"Eh?" Tasuki jerked his head toward them and blinked rapidly. "Oh, I guess I'm jus' so used ta 'Chiri poppin' in outta nowhere mid-sentence that I don't bother ta complete th' thought." He glanced around. "Ya don't see him lurkin' o'er my shoulder nowhere, do ya?"

"Nope," Kouji chirped. "Jus' a redheaded idiot with marbles fer brains."

" _Hey!_ "

"Urgh, ya had ta mention th' monk," Kentaro grumbled, squinting up at them through his swollen eye. "Now I'm gittin' wakin' nightmares."

"Of who? Chichiri-sama?" Anzu asked, eyebrows raised. "What in the world did he do, offer to cleanse your rotten soul?"

"It ain't what _he's_ been offerin', it's what kashira's been givin' ta—oh fuck, I think I'm _really_ gonna vomit."

Kouji scoffed. "What the hell're ya talkin' bout, Ken?"

Tasuki went still. "He's jus' delirious from th' pain, that's all."

"Bull- _shit_!" Kentaro shouted. "This ain't th' first time ya punched my lights out an' it prolly won't be th' last. But I sure as hell didn't know nothin' 'bout yer sexual escapades before now, neither."

Anzu and Kouji's eyes widened. _Not now,_ Tasuki thought, burying his face in his hands. _For th' love of Suzaku, not_ now!

"Eh? Did ya find yerself a nice young lady th' last time ya were in Souun, Genrou?" Kouji asked, sidling up beside him. He slapped him hard on the back, forcing curses to fly from Tasuki's mouth in rapid fire. " _Well!_ Thanks a lot fer tellin' me, pal!"

In retrospective, the "I hate women" credo hadn't been the best idea, Tasuki thought, clenching his teeth as a muscle ticked in his jaw. It made people _way_ too comfortable with asking invasive questions about what he was doing and _who_ he was doing it with. And to prove his point further, making up some drunken tryst with Chichiri had been the only thing that'd snapped Ken out of being brainwashed!

"There's no woman," Tasuki forced out. He glared at Ken. "Ain't no man, neither. Can we jus' _drop_ this already?"

"Don't git me wrong, kashira, what ya do wit yer body is yer business an' I don't mind if yer gay," Ken said, slowly pushing up to a seated position. "I just don't wanna know nothin' about it." He grimaced. "Gods, he don't keep that weird mask on, does he?"

"I ain't gay, ya idiot! I said all that stuff ta throw th' demon off!"

"The thing is, ya really can do better than a monk, kashira," Kentaro said earnestly. "A mountain man like you, you deserve someone with a lil' more life experience."

Tasuki lifted his arm, waving his fist. "Do ya want me to blacken yer _other_ eye?!"

"Oh, Chichiri's who yer romancin' this week, eh?" Kouji rolled his eyes. "Last week it was Gorou. Fer a buncha grown men, these jackasses sure like ta gossip, don't they?" He cracked his knuckles and shrugged. "Eh, well, I guess it's inevitable. Without any eligible women around, I guess ya haveta be a lil' more creative 'bout th' drunken storytellin'."

Anzu settled a hand on her hip. "No _eligible_ women, eh?"

"No eligible, _single_ women," Kouji clarified, smirking as he lifted her chin. "Ev'ryone here knows ya only got eyes fer me."

"Hm…" Anzu said, blushing even as she smirked. "I guess I can't argue with that."

"Great," Tasuki deadpanned. "Now _I'm_ gonna be sick." He tipped back in his chair, keeping his foot planted against the tabletop for balance. "Weren't we talkin' about, ya know, a demon? Killed two guys an' possessed like eighteen others? Let's stick to that."

"I think that's a great idea, no da!"

 _"—AH!"_ Tasuki yelped. He jerked backward and flailed his arms to stay upright. Chichiri held out a hand and calmly pushed his chair back down on its front legs.

"Nice to see you, too, Tasuki no da!"

"Chichiri!" Tasuki gasped, clutching his chest. He spun around in his seat to face the monk, who stood casually in the middle of the bedroom, smiling through his blandly happy mask. "Ya rotten sonuvabitch, one o' these days you or Taiitsukun are actually gonna kill me!" He pointed an accusing finger at him. "Where th' hell were ya about five hours ago when I was this close ta gettin' my head chopped off?!"

Chichiri cocked his head. "Da…did you call for me, Tasuki? That's odd; I never got any message from you, no da."

"Oh yeah?" Tasuki huffed. "Then why th' hell are ya here now?"

"I'm…not sure," Chichiri said, removing his mask. The grim set to his lips made Tasuki bite back his retort. "For some reason…I just got this overwhelming sense of foreboding…and it made me want to come here and check on you, no da."

Tasuki's eyes met Kouji's. No way was that a coincidence.

"Did ya feel anythin'… _off_ , th' moment ya stepped on th' mountain?" Kouji asked Chichiri. "Like maybe somethin' was…weaker, or that there was somethin' there that shouldn't be?"

Chichiri nodded. "The sacred barrier…it's barely there, no da." He rubbed his chin. "I can't say _why,_ but…I don't think the demonic energy I'm sensing is causing it."

"Whatdya mean?" Tasuki slapped the table. "There's no way a demon like that could've gotten on the mountain if the barrier was up!"

"Yes, but…call it a hunch, but I think the demon is only _exploiting_ the barrier's weakness, no da. If it wasn't, I don't think the barrier would be there at all. It would definitely have an easier time doing…whatever it is it's doing…if it didn't have to fight past the holy energy first, no da."

Silence fell. A demon was bad enough, but Mt. Reikaku's sacred protection was weakening?

"That's not all, though," Tasuki spat. "All th' men who were possessed tonight have been sick with some kind of flu fer weeks now. Ain't nothin' notable happen 'sides that until now." He bared his teeth. "But that demon waited ta attack until I was out on th' mountain by myself. It called me _'Suzaku no Tasuki.'_ It knew _exactly_ who th' hell I was an' seemed pretty damn happy ta git th' chance ta drain me dry, only it didn't get ta finish th' job."

Tasuki shivered. He could still feel phantom fingers sinking into his back, dark energy slithering into his body and soul and leeching every good part of him that he had left.

 _Gods_ , he thought, digging his fingernails into his palm. _Fuckin' demons._

"So in other words," Kouji continued, "whatever th' demon is plannin', seems like it's been workin' on it fer some time now."

"Or…" Kentaro looked about as sick as Tasuki felt. "It's gettin' stronger."

 _Sonuvabitch._

"Have you visited Taiitsukun-sama recently, Chichiri-sama?" Anzu asked. "Maybe she knows something. Maybe that demon you two fought…Tenkou, wasn't it? Maybe he's not really dead?"

Chichiri smiled at her. "I don't think it's anything as serious as that, Anzu-san. Otherwise Taiitsukun-sama would've called me to Mt. Taikyoku personally, no da. As far as I know, the four countries are still protected by the beast gods. This is just one of those situations where something slips through, I suppose…no da."

Anzu bit her lip. "So in other words…whatever this is, we're on our own."

"I'm afraid so, no da. But don't worry: Tasuki and I can handle it." He flashed Tasuki a thumbs-up. "Right?"

"Yeah," Tasuki said absently, rubbing his chest. "Right."

He felt Chichiri's eye boring a hole into the back of his head, but Tasuki couldn't bring himself to turn around. That demon could be watching them, right now…his gaze fell on Kentaro. Who's to say the demon had relinquished its hold on all the bandits once they'd passed out? What if…it was right here, in the room with them?

 _Chichiri would've sensed it,_ Tasuki thought, but Chichiri could usually sense him, too, so why…?

"As much as I hate ta drop even more on ya," Kouji said, turning to Chichiri, "we got two of our men we need ta bury, an' then we have ta figure out how ta protect th' rest of 'im from fallin' under th' demon's spell." He sighed, gesturing a listless hand toward the door. "I know it's late, but could ya…?"

Chichiri nodded. "Of course Kouji, no da. I'll perform the rites and then get to work on making a replacement barrier. It won't be able to cover the whole mountain, but it should definitely be strong enough to protect the stronghold, no da."

Kouji sagged with relief. "Thanks. That'll be a big help."

Staring off into space, Tasuki didn't notice Chichiri had approached until he felt his hand on his shoulder. "While I'm doing that, I think _everyone_ should get a good night's rest, no da," he said quietly. "We'll all be able to think more clearly in the morning."

"Yeah…" Tasuki muttered, standing and stretching his arms over his head. "Some shut-eye sounds nice, right 'bout now."

He avoided looking Chichiri in the eye; he didn't want to see the knowing gaze he knew would be there. But nonetheless, the monk's voice stopped him as he reached the door.

"Oh…one last thing, no da."

Tasuki turned. "Yeah, what? Ya think of somethin' else that can help us?"

Chichiri strode over, lifting his chin to stare up into Tasuki's eyes. "You should have told me, Tasu-chan," he murmured, curling his fingers over the bandit's hands and clasping them. "I would have gladly…been the seme to your uke, no da."

Without his mask covering it, the monk's eye shown with so much sincerity and conviction that Tasuki actually felt his heart drop into his stomach…but then he noticed the unmistakable twitch of a smile.

"You godsdamned worthless asshole—!" Tasuki threw a punch, which Chichiri easily dodged. Kouji was laughing so hard he'd doubled over.

Tasuki felt his face heating. "Every single one o' ya can go straight ta hell!"

Chichiri reached for him. "But, Tasuki, no da…after everything we've been through—" Tasuki narrowed his eyes and wordlessly lifted his tessen. "Da," he said, pressing a hand to his chest. "My poor heart. I don't think I've ever known rejection like this, no da."

"I'm goin' ta check on th' kid," Tasuki muttered, running his hand through his hair in agitation. "When ya decide ya wanna stop makin' jokes at my expense, ya know where ta find me!"

He slammed the door and stormed down the hall, but his anger evaporated the moment he was alone. As much as he wanted to be irritated with Chichiri for being so damn perceptive, he couldn't fault him for trying to provide the distraction he so sorely needed.

Suddenly, Tasuki knew that the achy, wistful feeling that'd been swelling in his chest all day wasn't nostalgia at all: It was _guilt_.

Guilt for surviving when so many of his friends—his _brothers_ —hadn't, guilt for his recklessness and arrogance getting two more of his men killed, guilt for Mi—

Tasuki cringed. _Don't go there._

 _Two years don't change a thing, do it?_ he thought, staring down at the guest bedroom's door. He could hear Takako's rumbling snores through the wood. _All time does is fool me inta thinkin' I'm passed it, then: Surprise, motherfucker! Here's yer trauma!_

Tasuki squeezed his eyes closed and turned the knob. Nothing he could do about it now; it was what it was. He disappeared into the cool, dark room and quietly shut the door behind him.

XXXXXX

The stronghold was poorly insulated. It was an unfortunate consequence of both its age and its location—at the top of one of the tallest mountains in Konan, every room in the building was subject to a gentle, undulating breeze.

Everywhere, that was, except in the hallway right outside Takako's room.

The air was so thick and hot that one could probably choke on it, but in the middle of the night, there were no complaints. A low chuckle drifted on the stagnant cloud, which thickened and darkened to the consistency of smoke before materializing into the form of a small, thin human of indeterminate age and gender.

The figure cocked their head toward the door, listening to the boy's raucous snoring and the seishi's careful footfalls. "Time doesn't quite heal _all_ wounds, does it, Suzaku no Tasuki?" the figure purred. "Humans are so easily manipulated by their emotions…unfortunate for them." A savage grin spread across their "face." "And quite fortuitous for me."

The boy was a variable they hadn't expected, and the energy he wielded would certainly complicate things. But children were rather easy to corrupt; perhaps if they learned more about the magic the boy used, they could turn the tide back in their favor. The fact that something had prevented them from draining the boy completely, just as it had with the seishi, could just be a fluke.

Suzaku no Tasuki had two gods protecting him…it was no surprise that they weren't strong enough yet to kill him. But a small boy? Whom did _he_ belong to?

Either way, they'd absorbed enough energy to put their plan into motion. Things were about to get interesting.

Thunder boomed in the distance, snapping them from their thoughts. Rain would be coming again soon; they needed to get to their destination before that happened.

Letting out an indulgent sigh, they allowed their body to dissolve into wisps and vanish without a trace. "That 'purity' that keeps you so safe…" they whispered, their words a soft echo in the empty hall. "I will snuff it out.

"And then I will do the same to your god."

They drifted through a window out into the dark and floated toward the front of the building. The swirling stars above provided almost no light—even the Suzaku constellations seemed dim, obscured by hazy fog. Two bandits were stationed in front of the stronghold gates, a large torch blazing from a sconce in the wall between them. Shadows flickered in every nook and cranny; it was the perfect atmosphere for hunting.

Judging by the bandits' tense shoulders, they could feel it, too.

"I can't believe they're gone," one murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "Fuck…what're we gonna do now?"

"Can't worry 'bout that," the other one said. "Kashira's gonna take care of things. He always does, ya know? Ain't no demon in th' world that can take 'im down. Hell, he fought off twenty men all by himself with hardly a scratch…honestly, th' fact that only two of us is dead is a blessin'. If th' demon had its way, I'm sure it would've killed off even more."

 _Not quite, ningen,_ they thought—they still needed vessels. Watching the tormented expression on Suzaku no Tasuki's face had been fun, though.

 _Which one shall I take?_ they wondered. _Why not both?_

 _Don't be greedy,_ their other sides whispered back. _Save your energy for the task at hand._

The cloud zipped forward and slammed into the bandit on the right. He gave a subtle jerk, then went unnaturally straight.

"Gotta take a piss," they said in the bandit's voice. "Keep yer eyes open."

"Fuck off, I _know_ how ta do my job," his partner answered, jerking his chin. "Git a move on, then."

They searched the man's mind for the location of the latrines and then headed in that direction. Once out of sight, they veered toward the trees.

There was a shrine about ten minutes from the stronghold—but acknowledging its presence at all was being generous. It was really just a large pile of rocks covered by a little wooden roof, with moss and vines creeping up the columns.

The sacred energy was weak—a thready pulse in the quiet night air. They focused their energy into the bandit's arm and then placed his palm to the middle of the rock pile. The rocks vibrated beneath his skin, and then rust-like texture leached onto the stone. The shrine's pulse stammered, then died as the rocks and grass around them turned a dull, lifeless brown.

Already, they could feel the restraints on their power loosening, ever so slightly. The bandit grinned. One down…nine more to go.


	4. Inner Strength

**Chapter Four: Inner Strength**

Kouji slipped out of bed, careful not to bump the sleeping form beside him, but Anzu's eyes fluttered open the moment his foot touched the floor.

"Whereyagoin?" she murmured, snuggling into her pillow. Drool had pasted a thick strand of brown hair to her cheek. Kouji grinned and leaned over, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Jus' gonna go take a walk," he said. "Wanna see what kinda progress Chichiri made with that barrier."

The birds chirped their morning song right outside the window, but the sky was still dark blue. Knowing the monk, he'd probably been up for more than an hour.

"Okay," Anzu muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Stay safe, an' all that."

Kouji smirked, his destination momentarily forgotten as he leaned over. "Did I ever mention how sexy it is when ya get that lil' drawl in yer voice?" he said huskily, his hand skimming up her thigh. "Makes me want ta crawl back inta bed with ya…" His hand settled on her waist. "An' not get a lick of sleep."

Anzu batted his hand away, wrinkling her nose. "It's too early. Wait until the sun is up, and maybe I'll reconsider."

" _Maybe_?"

Anzu chuckled. "Don't underestimate how much I like sleep. If I wanted to wake up at the crack of dawn, I'd go back to the circus." She yawned and lifted her arms over her head, revealing a strip of her flat stomach as her shirt lifted up. Kouji let out a groan. She frowned, stopping mid-stretch. "Didn't you say you had somewhere to be?"

Kouji blinked. "Oh. Right." Where was that, again?

"Chichiri," Anzu said. "Barrier."

"Y-Yeah! That's where I was goin'. Hehehe…" Reluctantly, Kouji jumped from the bed and fished his boots out from underneath it. "S-Say, Anzu…I've been thinkin'…"

She yawned again. "It's good you still remember how ta, at least. About what?"

"Well…it's been four years since ya wandered up 'ere. Two since I started courtin' ya." Kouji paused, his foot hovering over his boot. "Seems like longer than that," he muttered, gazing up at the ceiling.

Anzu narrowed her eyes, pulling her hair back from her face. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

 _Uh-oh._ "N-Nothin'! Well, definitely nothin' _bad_. I was jus' sayin'…"

Kouji gritted his teeth. "Nothing bad" was one helluva understatement, but getting himself to actually _say_ that out loud was like pulling teeth.

"You're saying I've overstayed my welcome? Is that it?" Anzu's lips pinched together, her brown eyes huge in her face. "You'd r-really k-kick me out?"

Kouji cursed under his breath and then turned to face her, his hands twisting in the sheets. " _No!_ Never! Jus' th' opposite. Anzu, th' thing is…" His eyes bore a hole in the bed, sweat gathering on his neck. "Th' thing is—" _Fuck, ya useless sack of flesh, jus'_ say it, _already!_

Seconds ticked by in silence while Anzu glared at him and Kouji struggled to get his throat to actually make sounds. But then a smirk formed on Anzu's lips. She tilted her head back and laughed. " _Ha_! I can't believe you still fall for that."

Kouji stared at her, all his romantic declarations vanishing without a trace from his brain. "H-Hey! Why ya gotta always take advantage of my dashing, gentlemanly ways, huh?" He turned his back on her, folding his arms and hunching his shoulders. "So I'm sensitive 'bout not makin' ya upset, so sue me!"

Geez, what kind of man was he, anyway? Getting all worked up over feelings and whatnot. Genrou always teased him for it, but gods damn it, he was still just as much a lovesick moron now as he'd been as a kid, wasn't he?

The sheets rustled behind him, and then Anzu was pressing into his side, her hands resting on his bare shoulders. "Aw, calm down," she said, snuggling against him. "I jus' think it's cute when you blush, that's all."

 _Aw hell_. Being a romantic couldn't be all bad, if it brought him Anzu, could it? Kouji kicked himself for, once again, ruining his chance, but the frustration melted away the instant he felt her lips press against his collarbone. He smiled. "Is that right?" he drawled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Well I think yer jus' cute in general."

Anzu smiled back, her gaze darting away as a rosy blush bloomed across her cheeks. Warmth spread through Kouji's chest. Yeah, she'd been an annoying little pipsqueak when she commandeered the stronghold all those years ago, but the person curled up beside him was all woman…long, toned limbs, a killer smile, and gentle curves.

And he was only a man, after all… He bent his head until their noses brushed against each other, but then Anzu shivered and pulled back.

"I think you should go," she said slowly, her eyelids lowering. "Before I rethink my 'not before sunrise' rule."

Kouji grinned. "Would that really be so bad?"

"Yes, because being responsible is what _dashing gentlemen_ do."

Kouji groaned, his shoulders dropping. "Aw, hell. Then I guess I gotta put a shirt on, don't I?"

A slow grin curved Anzu's lips as she returned to reclining on the bed. "Yeah, but can ya be slow about it?"

Kouji slipped on his boots and stood, arching his back for a long—and, okay, totally unnecessary—stretch. He ambled over to his chest and removed a fresh shirt off the top of the pile.

"Let me know when the burial is," Anzu murmured. "I wanna make sure I'm there with you."

Kouji's fingers paused over his shirt button. And _there_ was the wake-up call he needed; today wasn't an occasion to be happy about, even if he got to start it lying next to her. He nodded. "All right. I'll let ya know."

Anzu sighed, wrapping the blanket around herself. Her face disappeared from view. "Later, Ko-kun."

Kouji threw a beatific smile over his shoulder. "Later, Amai-chan."

If Kouji didn't know any better, he'd swear today was just any ordinary, beautiful day on Mt. Reikaku. The air was crisp and moist after another late night shower, dewdrops glistening on the emerald-green grass. To the east, swirls of pink and purple were leaching into the sky, lightening it in preparation for the sun. Meanwhile, the birds had reached a crescendo, twilling a tune that soothed Kouji's simple, country heart.

 _Don't even seem right fer it ta feel this nice,_ he thought. _Fuck, Eiji's family don't even know what's comin'._

Ryouga didn't have any other family—as was often the case at the stronghold—which somehow only made Kouji feel worse about the whole thing. For a lot of them, himself included, Reikaku was an escape…what would they do now that was no longer the case?

Kouji shook his head. Couldn't let himself worry about that now. One step at a time.

The last time he'd seen Chichiri, the monk had set up a makeshift workspace near the courtyard. Kouji headed in that direction, every small snap and rustle drawing his scrutiny. _Can't be too careful,_ he thought, eyeing the receding shadows. Reluctantly, Genrou had told him in excruciating detail everything the demon could do and what it looked like, and now even stumbling upon other bandits on his walk made his pulse quicken. There was no telling who was watching... _what_ was watching.

"Mornin', Kouji," a gruff voice called out from his right. Kouji nodded in acknowledgement as his gaze skimmed over Souta, but then he did a double take.

"What th' hell are _you_ doin' up?" he asked, coming to a halt. Souta had escaped the fight a lot better off than the rest of them, but he still had a set of bruised ribs from taking that kick from Tasuki. That bastard had a kick like a horse—Kouji would know. He'd learned his lesson for good the last time he'd challenged his friend to a drunken sparring match. Wasted, Tasuki hadn't had the presence of mind to restrain himself, and Kouji ended up tumbling down a hill with some rocks in _very_ unpleasant places.

Definitely not his finest moment.

"Couldn't sleep," Souta said. "Fer obvious reasons." He sniffled. "Got up ta take a piss an' figured I'd go fer a walk ta clear my head. I feel like shit."

"Ya _look_ like shit, too," Kouji replied easily, his gaze flicking from the bandages wrapped around the man's head to his bruised collarbone to his chest and the thick pads bulging underneath his shirt. "But glad yer still alive, buddy."

"Shit, I dunno," Souta said, shoving a hand through his thick, unruly mane. "I kinda wish that demon had taken me out."

Ice cold fear coursed through Kouji's veins. "Why th' hell would ya say that?" he barked. "Yer tellin' me ya got a death wish?"

"No," Souta said sourly. "But I ain't lookin' forward ta showin' my face 'round kashira or th' others, neither."

Kouji opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come. If his mind wasn't so frazzled, he'd be able to tell Souta it wasn't his fault, that no one blamed him, and that everything would work out fine.

But they had two burials today and a demon on the loose that kind of disproved that last theory.

Souta laughed without humor, shaking his head. "See ya later, Kouji."

A frustrated sigh forced its way out of Kouji's throat. "Yeah…see ya." After watching Souta disappear into the surrounding forest, Kouji started walking again, his legs moving now in quick, long strides.

Kouji saw Chichiri's hair before anything else. Sitting cross-legged on his kesa in the middle of the yard, Chichiri was as still as stone, his eye closed and a peaceful expression smoothing his face.

 _Well at least_ he _don't seem ta be worried._

"Good morning, Kouji no da."

Kouji came to a stop in front of him, his body casting a faint shadow over the monk's face. "Mornin', 'Chiri. Ain't interruptin' nothin', am I?"

Chichiri cracked his eye open. "Not at all. I'm just finishing my morning prayers." He jerked his head to the left. "The barrier's already finished, no da."

Kouji glanced up. Besides the changing colors of the sunrise, he couldn't really see…he squinted his eyes. Oh, there it was. As he stared, a faint red sheen flickered in front of the sky.

"So is this thing gonna keep th' demon from gittin' back in?" Kouji asked, folding his arms. "What happens if it's already 'ere?"

"Any dark energy inside the barrier will be weakened. Anything and everything _outside_ won't be able to get in without me specifically allowing it, no da." Chichiri shrugged, relaxing from his staid pose. "I know it's not foolproof, but it takes a lot of ki to make one of this size. Stretching it over a larger area limits what I can do, no da."

"Won't hear no complaints from me! Anythin' ya can do is gonna make a big difference. I mean, it ain't like _I_ got any magic that can help." Kouji frowned, turning to face Chichiri again. "But…what about th'…ya know, whole demon possessin' people thing? If th' demon's still inside an' we're trapped with it…what's gonna keep any of us safe?"

Chichiri grunted. "Possession is a complex thing, no da. A lot has to happen for it to work, especially over long periods of time. If you interrupt any of the steps, even a little, the whole thing tends to fall apart." He clapped his hands twice, bowed his head, and then climbed to his feet. "So that's what we're going to focus on, no da: doing everything we can to shore up our defenses, both personal…" He lifted his face toward the sky. "And physical, no da. At least until Tasuki and I can track that demon down."

"All right," Kouji said. "I'm all fer that! So what do we do?"

"Well, since you're already here…I can teach you a few techniques, and then you can teach them to the other bandits, no da!" Chichiri grabbed his shakujou from where it had been leaning against a nearby tree. "You're familiar with meditation right, no da?"

"Yeah, me an' Genrou always make sure ta pay our respects ta th' mountain god every time we pass a shrine. Ya jus' focus all yer thoughts on one thing fer as long as ya can, right?"

"That's the basic idea. But it's more than just thoughts, no da. It's being aware, on even the most seemingly insignificant level, of the world around you and your place in it, no da. It means being conscious of the very breath you take in, and the breath you release. Feeling the air on your skin as you sit outside. The grass underneath your feet. The insects crawling beside you on the ground. And it also means being aware of your ki, no da."

"Sounds complicated."

"Maybe at first, but eventually you'll operate on instinct. The point is this: If you're constantly aware of where your body, your energy, ends and the world around you begins…you can be a lot more deliberate about what you draw in and what you keep out, no da."

Kouji nodded. "Like demons."

Chichiri flashed him a thumbs-up and smiled. "Exactly, no da. So let's try it now: Close your eyes and focus on clearing your mind. Focus only on breathing in and out, and concentrating on that puff of air as it flows through you, no da."

Kouji quirked his eyebrows, but he did what he was told. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, allowing his lungs to fill with air until his chest puffed out to its maximum height.

"And…hold it, no da."

Kouji did.

"Okay, focus on that air you just took in. For now, at least, it's a part of you. It's keeping you alive, no da. Picture it as if it were a visible cloud of energy…maybe it's blue, no da. With sparkles."

Kouji opened his eyes and squinted at him.

"Or…whatever you want, no da," Chichiri said sheepishly. He waited until Kouji had closed his eyes again, and then he said, "Now let the breath out, no da. Slowly, while you're picturing it leaving you."

Kouji blew out. The tension in his shoulders had lessened, just the smallest bit.

"Now inhale again, but this time, instead of drawing the air in, imagine it's entering you of its own accord, no da."

"An' how th' hell would it do that?"

"Da…this is a thought exercise, Kouji. Just focus."

Kouji snorted. "Fine. Okay, so I ain't pulling it in, I just ain't tryna keep it out."

"Exactly, no da."

Kouji rolled his eyes and sucked in another deep breath before pushing it back out.

"Notice anything, no da?"

"Except th' fact that I feel like a jackass, no."

Chichiri chuckled, his eye twinkling. "Okay, this time…pretend the air right in front of you is dirty, no da. You don't want to breathe it in." He pointed at a nearby tree. "You want to breathe the air over there, no da. So focus on keeping out the blue, sparkly air and drawing the red, striped air toward you."

"If I wanted ta breathe in a buncha red striped clouds, which I surely don't, why wouldn't I just walk over to 'em?"

"Da…you're not being cooperative, no da." Chichiri tapped his shakujou on the ground. "Do you want to learn how to protect yourself or not?"

"Shit, fine, fine. I'll do what ya say."

His face heating out of embarrassment, Kouji pictured the blue and red clouds in his mind and imagined himself summoning the red clouds as he inhaled. The blue cloud of energy drifted slowly toward him, pulled by his breath, but Kouji imagined himself swatting at it and forcing it back.

When Kouji opened his eyes again, Chichiri was nodding his head, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Nicely done, no da!"

Kouji stared at him, blinking slowly. "You…you've gotta be kiddin' me."

Chichiri's smile widened. "Okay, once more, but this time…you're not dominant or submissive. Just be polite, no da."

"…What?"

"Ask the red striped cloud if it's okay for you to breathe it, no da."

"You…you _can't_ be serious."

"Totally serious, no da. Ask the air if it wouldn't mind keeping you alive for a while."

Kouji felt his skin prickle. "Look, Chichiri, I know yer a spiritual expert an' everythin', but this is pretty—"

Chichiri tapped his shakujou again, three times in quick succession. The soft jingles scattered Kouji's words and agitation to the winds. "If you'd just followed instructions, you'd be done by now, no da."

 _How the hell does he do that?_ Kouji thought, instantly cowed. The monk's voice was soft, but calm authority oozed from every pore. Chichiri wasn't the kind of man who would joke about this, Kouji knew, especially when everyone's lives could possibly still be at risk.

So even though he thought this exercise was the most ridiculous fucking thing he'd ever done, Kouji closed his eyes again.

 _Hey there, air,_ he thought drily. _Been a while, ain't it? Well ya know, things have kinda been crazy 'round 'ere. Sorry I missed yer party._

 ** _It's okay,_** he imagined the air answering. **_My wife threw it. I didn't want to celebrate anyway._**

 _Well damn, air, that sounds mighty awful. I'll let ya tell me all 'bout it one day, but fer now, do ya think ya could help me out so I can live fer a few more minutes?_

 ** _Why should I?_** the air said with a sniff. **_You didn't even bother to make it to my party._**

 _You jus' said ya didn't even want it!_

 ** _Well, that was before you started asking me for stuff. What kind of man are you? Have you no shame?_**

 _Why, you little—_

"Ano…Kouji, you're turning blue…"

 _Please!_ Kouji thought. _I'll make it up ta ya, whatever ya want._

 ** _Anything?_**

 _Yes!_

"—Kouji!"

 ** _Fine._**

Kouji drew in a sharp breath that dissolved into shallow, greedy gasps when he exhaled. "Whew," he said, leaning over with his hands on his knees. "Thanks air, I owe ya one."

 ** _Don't mention it._**

Chichiri stared at him. "Ano…Kouji, maybe you should be a little less…long-winded next time, no da. No pun intended."

Kouji glared with all the venom he could muster.

"But that was very good! Did you feel something, no da?"

The words "hell no" were already forming on his lips, but Kouji stopped himself. "Yeah…it's like…" He gestured wildly, grasping for the words. "Now, it feels like…Almost as if…I don't have ta… _try_ as hard, ta breathe. Like I feel… _lighter_." He scowled. "But that's stupid! It's jus' air!"

 ** _Wow, really? You're welcome, asshole._**

 _I_ really _gotta stop talkin' ta myself._

" _Everything_ in the universe has energy, no da," Chichiri said. "Which means everything can have some level of intent. When the intentions of two beings work together, some pretty amazing things can happen, no da!"

Kouji scratched the back of his head. "That's…I don't…"

 _"_ But I wasn't being _literal_ when I said you had to ask the air permission, no da. I just meant for you to consider it as a separate but equal entity, no da."

"Well how th' hell was _I_ supposed ta know that?"

Chichiri's lip twitched. "The important thing is that you're a little more conscious of your place in the world, no da!" he said. "Humans tend to be pretty arrogant. When we humble ourselves, and accept that we're just one small part of the world, no more important, no less, then we're not as easily manipulated, no da. You'll have greater control."

"Hmm. Well, I guess if it's gonna help me keep out that demon, feelin' like a jackass talkin' ta a fake cloud is a small price ta pay." Kouji shook his head in disbelief and turned on his heel. "So thanks, 'Chiri…I guess."

"But there's one last thing, no da." Kouji stopped. "A word of caution."

Kouji inclined his head. "Caution?"

"Just like the barrier, these methods aren't foolproof, and it's important not to think that they are, no da," Chichiri said. "All the training in the world can't protect you if a demon is strong enough, or determined enough, or your body or your energy is otherwise weakened for any reason." His eye narrowed. "But the most important thing to know, Kouji, is this: falling prey to a demon is not, in itself, a sign of weakness, no da. Even someone as well-trained as I am could be corrupted, with the right—or maybe I should say, _wrong_ —push."

Kouji stiffened. "It sounds like yer settin' us up fer failure from th' start."

"No, not at all. It's just…sometimes what happens _after_ a possession…is worse than the possession itself, no da," Chichiri murmured. "I've seen men twice our age—strong, noble men—who have been broken by it. Sometimes, if you're not properly prepared…there are physical ailments, no da. Nightmares, fevers, unexplainable mood swings. It can take some time for a demon's influence to fade after an attack. Some people…don't last that long…no da."

Kouji thought of Souta, and the lost, bitter expression on the man's face. He shuddered. "So this meditation stuff is gonna be _real_ important, then."

"Hai. But also…someone should look out for Kentaro and the others. Just in case. I'll do my part while I'm here, but…I can't be everywhere at one time, no da."

"Jus' say th' word, Chichiri. Whatever it takes, I'll try ta help."

Reikaku had been his home for seven years now…he wasn't about to give up on it or his fellow bandits just because of some lousy demon.

Well…just because of _another_ lousy demon. Kouji cringed, rubbing the scar on his cheek as he reflected on the last one that had wreaked havoc. So much for lightning not striking twice in the same place!

Chichiri chuckled. "I had a feeling you'd say that, but thank you, Kouji no da. But could you do me one other favor? I'd prefer it if you didn't tell Tasuki about my request."

"Huh?" Kouji folded his arms. "An' why th' hell not? Y'all tell each other everythin'."

The sun had begun to rise while they'd been talking, the first of its golden rays lining the stronghold in an otherworldly glow. Chichiri's expression softened as he looked at the sight, but his mouth was tight when he turned back to Kouji.

"How…has he been, no da?" he asked.

Kouji frowned, struggling to make out the significance of Chichiri's words. Was Genrou sick or something?

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Kouji groaned. _Fuck, I'm an idiot._

"Well, he was fine up till y'all left ta visit Nuriko a coupla weeks ago; he's been kinda surly since, but I think ya coulda figured that out on yer own," he said. "Why? Ya don't think he's gonna do somethin' stupid, do ya?"

"No, but I saw the way he looked last night, no da. I can tell that this is dredging up bad memories, that's all. You've seen him more often over the past few weeks than I have, so I was just curious…no da."

Kouji nodded. "He's gonna take Eiji and Ryouga's deaths hard; he always does. But that's how it should be! Don't like th' idea of him bein' all indifferent jus' 'cause he's th' leader." He grimaced. "An' yeah, I'm sure this whole demon thing ain't helpin' matters. But that was two years ago…surely ya don't think that's gonna affect his judgment fer this?"

"Miaka was the only woman he ever loved, and my best friend possessed him and compelled him to assault her and almost kill one of our brothers," Chichiri chided gently. "Which put him into a position where he felt forced to commit suicide, no da. That's not something that you just 'get over,' Kouji."

Kouji flinched. "Shit, sorry. I know, I've heard this story before, I should know better…gods, I'm a shitty friend."

Because things had been so simple when Tasuki lived on Reikaku, it'd taken Kouji longer than it should have to realize his time as a Suzaku seishi would change him. He'd never deluded himself into thinking it wouldn't be hard, or that people wouldn't die, but Tasuki had always been an easygoing guy. Things just never affected him; whatever hardships they'd faced, it always seemed to just roll off the redhead's back.

It wasn't until Tasuki returned after Tenkou that Kouji realized the act might not have always been as effortless as he'd assumed.

He felt Chichiri grab his shoulder and squeeze. "You're not a bad friend, no da. Far from it. And I'm sure you don't think about it much because that's how Tasuki wants it, no da. I can't imagine it's something he mentions often."

"Yeah…th' only reason _I_ really found out th' details was 'cause of Anzu…"

Chichiri nodded. "I'm not saying he's going to do anything stupid. I'm not even saying this is having as much as an impact on him as I worry it might, but…nevertheless, he's got enough on his mind. Let's worry about the well-being of the other bandits ourselves, no da."

"I agree. Don't worry, my lips are sealed, 'Chiri."

Chichiri slipped on his mask and flashed a peace sign. "But don't panic, no da! I've dealt with demons of this kind many times before. And even if I can't figure it out, we can always count on Taiitsukun-sama, no da."

"Well, an' even if we can't…maybe th' kid could be of some use, too," Kouji wondered aloud.

Chichiri cocked his head. "Kid, no da?"

"Oh, yeah…ya didn't show up till after that, did ya? Last night, 'fore all that shit went down, this lil' scrawny boy showed up, askin' ta join. Genrou was gonna send 'im on a wild goose chase ta test 'im, but he followed along just ta make sure th' idiot didn't fall in a hole or somethin'. Good thing, too, 'cause th' demon attacked th' minute th' two o' 'em were far enough from th' stronghold."

"Hmm…that just sounds like a nasty coincidence, no da. What's so special about the boy?"

"He's got this stone 'round his neck that's got some kinda power in it," Kouji said. "An' fer whatever reason, he was able ta use it ta fight th' demon off, even when he got separated from Genrou. An' Genrou says he was even able ta _expel_ th' demon from Souta usin' it ta power up his sword."

"Da…that's pretty amazing, especially for a child. Do you know where he got the stone from?"

"No clue. But if it's useful ta ya, maybe we can snatch it from 'im."

Chichiri nodded. "I want to meet this boy—later, once everything else is done. It's not unheard of for certain gemstones to have special properties. If I know more about what's powering it, it could give me some clues about how else to fortify the stronghold, no da."

"Well all right! Now we're on a roll." Kouji clapped Chichiri on the back as the two men walked toward the building. "With you an' me, this fuckin' demon will be history in no time!"

"Da…don't forget Tasuki, no da."

"Right. He can be my trusty steed. You ain't gonna mind if I put a muzzle on 'im, are ya?"

Another chuckle. "Well, I only have one question in response to that, no da."

"Which is?"

Chichiri smiled. "What took you so long?"

XXXXXX

They watched the two men wander off, their form swirling with rage.

 _The monk has to be dealt with_ , they thought with a growl.

They eyed the shimmering red sheen over the sky. As long as the barrier was up, they couldn't rejoin all of their fragments on the other side. They called out to them; all the bandits still bore their mark. Using the men for their bidding would be simple…as soon as they could get passed the barrier, at least.

After destroying the first shrine last night, they'd gone on to eliminate two more. But the sacred energy guarding the third had been much stronger, and they'd been flung free of the bandit the moment he'd approached. Perhaps they weren't quite as strong as they'd thought. Yet.

Then it had started to rain…now they had finally returned to the stronghold to see _this_ shining monstrosity.

"Hmm…I suppose this is the consequence of my own folly. I didn't properly account for the monk." They smiled. "Although…"

Suzaku no Chichiri had his own failings, didn't he? His would be much harder to exploit, but nonetheless…

First, though, they needed a new body.

"—If I've told ya once, I've told ya a thousand times, woman," a man barked from somewhere down the trail. "I _know_ where I'm goin'!"

They giggled. Maybe their timing wasn't so bad, after all.

A couple of merchants were stumbling up the pathway. A fat, graying donkey plodded along behind them, pulling a cart filled with earthenware jars; they clanged and clattered as the cart's worn, wooden wheels dragged over the uneven ground.

"Well if ya knew where ya were going, we'd be cozy in an inn in Souun right now!" the woman snapped.

They would've rolled their eyes if they had any right now. Such petty, useless creatures humans were.

They curled into a tight, swirling cloud of energy and slithered toward them. After feasting on the seishi and that strange boy last night, they were already feeling stronger. Possessing a worthless, weak-willed old man would be—

"Oi, oji-san!"

Another woman was approaching the merchants, a large knapsack bumping against her thigh. They stopped to observe her. She had skin tanned brown by the sun and long, wavy black hair that was pulled into a tight ponytail, haphazard strands pasted to her forehead with sweat. Curiously, a pair of broadswords hung at her waist. A warrior. They grinned. She was younger, and stronger, than both of the old merchants combined.

The perfect vessel.

"Ohayou, oji-san," the young woman said, coming to a stop in front of the couple and wiping a trail of sweat from her brow. "I'm looking for the bandit stronghold…do you know where it is?"

 _Hmm. Even more curious._

The man turned and pointed. "It's just up th' path and ta th' left. Ya can't miss it, but why on earth are ya headed there?" He frowned, rubbing his stubbled chin. "You seem like a sensible young lady; surely yer not going to risk your life by cavorting with bandits?"

The woman snorted. "Hm, well usually I would agree with you, but…" She shrugged. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. There's someone up there I have to meet." She bowed low at the waist. "But thank you very much for your help…and your concern."

As she leaned down, the sunlight reflected off a necklace hanging out of her shirt—a large, purple gemstone glowed against her throat.

They started. It looked just like the one the boy had—the one that had burned them the moment they'd tried to drain him.

 _How can this be?_ A growl rumbled from the cloud. _It was not a coincidence?_

The man waved his hand. "Sure, sure…hey, you were coming from the opposite direction. You wouldn't happen to know which way it is to Souun, would ya?"

"Oh, I just came from there," the young woman said, jerking a thumb up over her shoulder. "You're on the wrong side of the mountain. It's at the bottom of the western face."

"I KNEW IT!" the old woman crowed, turning to her husband. "This is the last time I EVER listen to you!"

"Thanks, young lady," the man grumbled. "Good luck with th' fella yer meetin' up with. An' be careful 'round here—I've been hearing that some demons have been running amuck again. Hell, even th' water tastes different, now. I'd watch my back, if I were you."

The woman paused, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Thanks, oji-san. Happy trails."

Their opportunity was receding. The thought of using a weak old man seemed beneath them…but suddenly the young woman didn't seem like such a safe bet, either.

A loud rustle sounded from the nearby bushes, and a pair of beady black eyes peeked out at the humans before turning to the cloud. _Maybe there's another option,_ they thought, watching the creature.

"I am no threat to you," they whispered to the demon. "Wreck as much havoc as you please. Whatever gains I've achieved here…are yours for the taking as well."

The eyes glowed bright yellow for a moment, and then the yokai retreated back into the underbrush. The message would spread like wildfire soon enough.

The merchants and the woman had split off in opposite directions. Whoever this woman was…maybe they could use her, too. After all, she wouldn't be able to get past the barrier, either.

 _This woman,_ they thought. _That boy…_

 _Which god do_ they _belong to?_

XXXXXX

Takako yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The room was dark and cool, the growing sunlight blocked by a drape covering the window…a window he had never seen before. He jerked upright and hissed as pain lanced up his side. His entire body, from the soles of his feet up to his scalp, was stiff and throbbing. Letting out a ragged moan, he flung the blanket off and threw his legs over the side of the bed. On its way to the floor, his foot sunk into something soft and warm.

"Ow!" A deep voice rose up in the darkness, and Takako let out a squawk. "Watch it, brat!"

Takako jumped back, crashing to the mattress with a pained grunt. A shadow sat up from the floor, but even in the dark Takako could recognize those bright amber eyes, which glared out from under a ratty blanket. Now that his own eyes were adjusting, Takako noticed the cocoon of pillows and blankets Tasuki had been sleeping on—and judging by the bags under the man's eyes, the floor hadn't been very comfortable.

"Kashira?" Takako asked, rubbing his eyes again. "Why are you on the floor?"

Tasuki's eyes narrowed into slits. "'Cause I _was_ tryna sleep before ya stepped on my damn kidney!"

"Oops." Takako cringed. "I mean…sorry. But I meant…why are you in _here?"_

He'd fallen asleep the moment his head had touched the pillow, so there was no way to know when Tasuki had snuck in. But if he'd known he'd be treated to a sleepover with Suzaku no Tasuki himself, he definitely would've wanted to have been awake for at least _some_ of it!

 _"_ This was yer first night up 'ere," Tasuki muttered, "an' ya got hurt last night. I jus' wanted ta make sure nothin' else happened ta ya, that's all." He shook the blanket off his head and ran his fingers through his mussed hair. "Heh, I don't think I was _supposed_ ta end up down 'ere, but I guess I was more tired than I thought." He raised his arms above his head and twisted; his joints made a loud popping noise. "So how are ya, kid?"

So it wasn't a dream after all; Takako really _was_ on Mt. Reikaku, with Tasuki the Suzaku seishi, and he really _had_ helped him fight off a demon…somehow. Takako's hand settled on his throbbing thigh. "Um…my leg still kind of hurts."

Tasuki rose to his knees and approached the bed. "Here, lemme see."

Takako rolled up his pants leg to his knee. The wound went halfway up his thigh, so Tasuki still couldn't see all of it, but the bandages woven around his upper calf were dark, almost black.

"Looks like ya ripped yer wound back open," Tasuki muttered, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

A shudder rolled through Takako's body. "I'm not gonna die, am I?"

The bandit glanced up at him, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Yer gonna be fine, kid. It was a clean cut—didn't nick no blood vessels or anythin', and yer bones are all in place. Jus' as long as you don't live like a slob an' get an infection, you'll live."

"But it'll probably scar, won't it?"

"A cut this size?" Tasuki said, eyeing the boy's leg again. He shrugged. "Probably."

Takako grinned. "Sweet." Tasuki shot him a look of disdain. "Er, so now what? We're gonna have to chase that demon down, right? Or are you still going to make me do…" He wrinkled his nose. "Laundry?"

"What do _you_ think?"

Before Takako could reply, a knock sounded at the door.

"Knock, knock," a muffled voice called. "Who's there? Well it's Kouji, come ta check on our new lackey an' make sure he ain't dead. Well, that's mighty charitable of ya, do come in."

The door squeaked open, and it was indeed Kouji standing there, grinning. "Hey there, kid!" he said with a wave. "Glad ta see yer still with us!"

Wordlessly, Takako turned to Tasuki, who just shrugged. "Don't look at me, kid. It's better if ya jus' ignore 'im."

Kouji closed the door behind him. "Oh, an' Genrou's here too? How come no one told me we was havin' a sleepover?"

"I wasn't plannin' on it, trust me." Tasuki threw a pillow at Kouji, who easily dodged it. "What th' hell are ya doin' up this early, Kouji? Don't usually see yer face till noon at least."

"Wanted ta make sure everythin' was on th' up an' up with Chichiri." Kouji plopped down on the bed next to Takako, his arms braced behind him. "Happy ta say th' barrier's done an' protectin' us from evil forces even as we speak."

Takako leaned forward. "C-Chichiri?!" he blurted. "You mean, as in, Suzaku no _Chichiri_ , Chichiri?"

"Well, obviously," Kouji drawled, throwing him a look. "Who else do ya think would be walkin' 'round wit a name like that?"

Takako pumped his fist. " _Sugoooooi._ "

Tasuki was looking at him like he was the biggest loser in the world; Takako couldn't even bring himself to care. Getting to meet not just one seishi, but _two_?

Wouldn't it be cool if the three of them took down that demon together? A silly grin split his lips just thinking about it—him, striking a heroic pose on a scorched battlefield after the evil had been vanquished. Villagers chanting: " _There he is! It's Takako-sama! Savior of Konan!"_

 _Savior of Konan._ It had a nice ring to it.

Rolling his eyes, Tasuki turned to Kouji. "So he didn't mention sensin' that…thing…since he's been here?"

"Nope. Which, as we've found out, could be a really good thing or a really bad thing. But fer my own health, I'm tryna be optimistic." Kouji cracked his knuckles. "But surely this means you an' Chichiri are gonna go huntin' that thing down now, right?"

"Don't really got a choice, do I?"

Takako flailed his hands at them. "What about me?"

"Yer still injured, so we're gonna go easy on ya th' first week, kid," Kouji said. "Ya don't have ta do th' laundry."

Chichiri was here, he was a bandit, _and_ he didn't have to do housework? "Yes! Score!"

"But ya _still_ gotta help out in th' kitchen," Tasuki said with narrowed eyes. "If Kentaro still gotta manage the horses after gettin' head-butted in th' face, then _you_ gotta pull yer own weight, too. No such thing as freeloaders on Mt. Reikaku."

Takako saluted. "Yes, kashira! I'll have that kitchen running better than it ever has! You'll see."

It was so surreal—despite the danger, everything was working out just like Takako had wanted it, it seemed. Maybe he wasn't such a hopeless case after all. He grinned.

"I jus' bet ya will," Kouji said with a smirk. He turned to Tasuki. "That just leaves…"

"Yeah, the burials, I know. So who's gonna tell 'em?"

They stared at each other, and then Tasuki held out his fist. Kouji shrugged and mirrored his pose.

 _Rock-_ They bounced their fists once.

 _Paper-_

 _Scissors._

Takako glanced between Kouji's two fingers and Tasuki's tight fist.

Kouji let out a groan and flopped backward onto the bed. "Fuck you _an'_ yer godsdamn rock!"

"Don't hate th' game, Kouji." Tasuki grinned and flashed a peace sign. "Yer th' idiot who's so shitty at playin' it."

"Fine, fine…but if _I_ gotta tell Ryouga's family, then _you_ gotta—"

A thick haze settled in Takako's brain, drowning out the rest of the bandit's words. Dull warmth leaked from his gemstone right before a lightning rod shot up the boy's spine.

 ** _Takako_** , someone whispered in his head.

 _Fuck_ , Takako thought, a sense of dread making his shoulders slump and his stomach cramp. _No no no..._

 ** _Come find me. Now._**

There was only one person in the world that could be, and only one reason why.

"Oh crap," he murmured, his hands clenching into fists. And just like that, the bright, sunny morning had turned into one of the worst days ever. He blinked against the pressure building in the corners of his eyes. All that work, for nothing.

Tasuki and Kouji were staring at him, their eyes wide. He couldn't imagine how he looked to them, but if it was anywhere close to the way he felt, he couldn't blame them for being worried.

Kouji squeezed his shoulder. "What is it, kid?" He shook him gently. "Are ya all right? Did ya sense th' demon?"

No. Even worse: his mother.

And she was _pissed._ Maybe that demon hadn't been able to kill him, but Takako knew she'd have no issue with finishing the job. His hands trembled with anger and frustration. He should've known she wouldn't be able to keep her promise!

Still, if he didn't at least answer her call, he'd only make things worse. But he'd rather die than let kashira and Kouji-aniki find out!

"I…" He glanced between the two men, his mind drawing a blank. "I…have…" He scanned the room, hoping to find some sign or symbol that could aid him in concocting a proper excuse. His eyes landed on Tasuki's tessen, which was sitting on the small table near the bed. "Wind?" he murmured.

A muscle jumped in Tasuki's jaw. "…what."

"Gas!" Takako blurted. He flinched and clutched his stomach in mock pain. "Oh, I must've eaten something bad yesterday. I don't feel too good."

Kouji and Tasuki scrambled away from him, twin expressions of disgust on their faces. "So why th' hell are ya tellin' _me_?" Tasuki snapped. "Go ta th' latrines, I don't need that much information about yer body, kid!"

Takako blushed and gritted his teeth. As if it already wasn't going to be hard enough trying to fit in…! "Right, s-sorry. Where's that, again?"

"Across from th' stables," Tasuki said. "Ya better make it all th' way there, too!"

"Hai, kashira. Thank you. S-Sorry."

Takako didn't bother to change out of his light sleep shirt; he pulled on his boots and headed for the door, still clutching his stomach. His body felt like a giant sore, so the groans issuing out of him weren't entirely an act.

"I'm too old fer this shit," he heard Tasuki mutter. Kouji's laugh was the last thing he heard before he closed the door.

XXXXXX

Kameyo pushed a low-hanging branch out of the way and stepped into the clearing. The building was wide and squat and had probably been beautifully ornate once upon a time, but now the aged wood was about three different shades of brown and covered with thick vines and moss. A tall security fence surrounded the perimeter, but the gates were wide open.

"Well," she deadpanned, "moral deficiencies aside, it doesn't look like these people are very _smart_ , either." Of course, a gate wouldn't have been able to keep her out, anyway, but still.

Kameyo lifted her hand to her gemstone and squeezed. She focused her thoughts on it until she felt it pulse, and then chills whispered over her skin as it did its work. Her whole body vanished from sight.

"Now to find Takako." It was barely past sunrise—if she timed it right, she could get in and out without anyone being the wiser. Takako might've felt perfectly safe in a stronghold full of men, but she couldn't say she shared his confidence.

Hopefully, Takako would be coming back with her to Souun.

She walked toward the building—and slammed right into an invisible wall.

"Mmf!" She clutched her aching nose, staring in bewilderment at the building in front of her. She tentatively waved her hand in the space in front of her, and the tips of her fingers grazed a slick, warm surface that felt almost like glass. As she prodded it, it flickered red once before disappearing again.

"A barrier," she murmured, folding her arms. "Okay, so there's some weird zap thing, some weird animal monster, and now this. What the hell is going on here?"

She lifted her hand to her gem again. Closing her eyes, she expanded her senses and followed their connection. Takako was definitely inside that building, and he didn't seem hurt or distressed, but that was hardly a comfort when she couldn't even get to him.

She tightened her grip on the stone. _I want answers,_ she thought, sending a spike of energy through it. _Takako. Come find me. Now._

She dropped her hand and sighed. Whoever had made this barrier had known what they were doing—there was no way she was getting through there, intangible or not. She pressed her forehead against the warm shield and closed her eyes, a prickling sense building in her gut. As quiet and peaceful as it was, she couldn't shake the sense that something was very, very wrong here…and the uneasy murmurs she'd heard on the trail the entire walk up here only supported that suspicion. Demons were far from unusual in the countryside, especially in the last couple years, so if the locals were actually disturbed by their presence, now, whatever was happening had to be on a whole different scale.

And if anything happened to Takako because of that, it would be all her fault.

Kameyo sighed. Adopting a child when she'd barely been an adult herself hadn't been the smartest idea, she realized, and it hadn't been easy, either, but it was a decision she'd never regretted. Now, though, her grasp on control was slipping.

Because damn her, Natsu was right. What _was_ she going to do now?

If she held on too tight, she'd lose him. But if she caved completely and let him go off on his own, only for him to get himself killed, well...

That would just be a _delicious_ example of irony, wouldn't it?

Her heart clenched at that unbidden thought, and she whacked her head against the barrier. _So much for time healing all wounds._

"Kaa-san."

She glanced up, and Takako was standing right on the other side of the barrier. His gaze was jumping from point to point—he could sense her standing there, but he couldn't quite tell where he was supposed to look. With a deep exhale, she saved him the trouble and flickered into existence again.

Takako's face fell. "You _are_ here."

She tried not to let the disappointment in his voice get to her.

"Don't sound so surprised," Kameyo said smoothly. "Or disappointed."

His hair was a matted mess and he was still in his sleep clothes, but it was the angry purple bruises around his neck and on the insides of his forearms that sent her inner alarm bells clanging.

 _Oh, Takako. What the hell did these people do to you?_ Before she could ask the question herself, Takako exploded.

"You said you'd let me do this on my own!" he said, stomping his foot. "You lied!"

Kameyo shook her head. "No, I didn't. You've been by yourself for almost a week. You traveled here alone without any direct interference from me." She folded her arms. "But I never said I wouldn't want to check up on you." She eyed his pants leg—the fabric was pulled taut on the area around his thigh. "Your leg is bandaged, isn't it? You're limping."

Takako glared at the dirt for several long seconds. Then he muttered: "There…was an incident."

A harsh bark burst from her mouth. "No kidding! You have bruises all over you! What the heck did those bandits do to you?"

Takako opened his mouth, and she just knew he was going to deny it…but then resignation smoothed his face and he sighed, dropping to a seated position on the ground. Kameyo sat in front of him, her knees pressed against the barrier. She'd give anything to hold him right now, but even without the magical force field between them, she doubted he'd let her.

"Takako…" She swallowed against a wave of nausea, a hundred different horrible explanations zipping through her brain. She willed her voice to soften. "You've used a huge amount of the energy stored in that necklace, in a single night. I gave it to you for protection, so if you needed it, I'm glad you used it." She leaned forward. "But something really bad happened, didn't it? You have to tell me. We promised, remember? If you showed me you were capable of being on your own, I'd let you go after this little dream of yours." Takako scowled at the condescension that had leaked into her speech; Kameyo mentally kicked herself but didn't miss a beat. "But that means I have to be able to trust you, Takako. It means you have to be honest with me. Adults can't just lie and brush things under the rug when life gets hard. You know that."

Takako blushed. "I know." He sighed. "You're right, kaa-san. Something bad happened last night. But kashira was there the whole time. He kept me safe."

Kameyo nodded, eyes softening. "Tell me."

So he did.

The sense of alarm of earlier was nothing compared to what she felt as he recounted struggling for hours to climb a mountain only to be rejected by the leader, forced into some ridiculous test, and then attacked by a horde of demon-possessed bandits that pushed him within inches of death. Kameyo schooled her expression into one of mild sympathy and concern, but inside she was screaming.

Takako didn't notice, though. He became more animated the further he got in the story, his eyes wide and his hands gesticulating for every swipe, stab, and dodge he painted with his words.

"But the best thing of all, ma, is that the rumors are true!" he said, oblivious to her darkening mood. "Kashira really _is_ Tasuki, of the Suzaku Seven! I saw him for myself. And he has a magical fan—er, a tessen—that shoots fire and he knows like five different types of martial arts!"

"Uh-huh," Kameyo said. "But you still got attacked."

"That's not the point!" Takako snapped. "If he _hadn't_ been there, I'd be dead."

"Hm. But like I said before, you wouldn't be getting attacked _at all_ if you had just apprenticed under a blacksmith like I suggested."

Takako groaned. "Blacksmiths suck! Who wants to make weapons and saddles? I wanna be the one who uses 'em!"

"Takako! Watch your mouth."

He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, kashira helped get me all cleaned up and bandaged and everything's fine now, so you can go back to Souun."

" _Oh_ no, you're not getting rid of me that easily, boy. I want to make sure this demon is actually gone and these people aren't serial killers or sadists." She drummed her fingers against the shield, producing a hollow thunking noise. "Tell me how to get through the barrier, so I can see things for myself."

Takako shook his head. "I don't know! It was already here when I woke up. Kouji-aniki mentioned that Chichiri-sama—he's a seishi, too, kaa-san!—got here last night and he did it. But if Chichiri-sama made it, there's no _way_ you're getting through it unless he wants you to," he finished smugly. "He's a monk."

A _monk_ in a _bandit_ stronghold? Sure, she supposed that made as much sense as anything else around here. "Well, then find this Chichiri person and tell him to let me in."

"No! No one can know you're here!"

Kameyo narrowed her eyes. "Why, Takako…are you _ashamed_ of your own mother?"

It was a question she instantly regretted asking; she didn't _really_ want to know, especially since Takako's eyes darted away immediately afterward.

"No one else has their ma here!" Takako grumbled. "If I'm gonna fit in, I need to be a man! Men don't need their mothers checking in on them!"

She couldn't help it—she laughed. "You won't be a man for another seven years."

Takako blushed in indignation, his hands clenched on his lap. "Th-That's not the point! I have to start somewhere, kaa-san!" He shook his head. "When are you going to realize that I don't _need_ you anymore?"

Kameyo drew in a sharp breath and leaned back. She felt like she'd been stabbed. _I…I didn't expect that to hurt as much as it does,_ she thought.

Takako blanched at the expression of shock she knew had to be on her face. "That…kaa-san, I didn't…"

But the pain in her chest was only getting worse. Kameyo let out a cry as her gemstone sizzled against her collarbone.

 _Run,_ something told her. _Run, run, run._

Kameyo jerked to her feet and spun around, her back to the barrier and her son. While she'd been engrossed in Takako's story, someone—or rather, _something_ —had approached.

Now, her gut was telling her she was surrounded. And with the barrier in place, there was nowhere else for her to go.

"Takako…" she whispered, pressing her back against the shield. "Tell the monk to let me in."

"I already told you: I can't!"

She wanted to reach through and strangle him right now, but she willed her voice to remain calm and patient. "Takako, please…" She hesitated. "I think I'm in danger."

" _What_?"

The bushes around her shifted, and a large dark brown paw appeared. The massive head of a wolf followed, and then a thick, barrel chest. The thing had to have weighed at least double what she did.

"A wolf?" Takako squawked. "Wh-What's that here for?"

 _To eat me, obviously,_ Kameyo thought, reaching into her scabbards for her swords. She pressed herself harder against the barrier as half a dozen other wolves followed the alpha into the open. For a long moment, they just stared at her, growling, and then noxious yellow haze shimmered around them. Sharp, boney fragments exploded from their backs, curving along the path of their spines. The alpha wolf bared its teeth, and black bile dribbled from its mouth.

"Oh, _shit_ ," she whispered.

"Kaa-san!" Takako shouted. "Get out of there!"

"Where, exactly, do you expect me to go?" she yelled back. "Go find that monk, and hurry!"

Kameyo sliced the air with her swords, sending arcs of energy racing toward the wolves. They snarled and dodged what they could, then charged her. Kameyo phased through them and then whirled to swipe at the air again. A wolf let out a high-pitched yelp as energy sliced through its neck. Black bile oozed to the surface, quickly matting its fur, but the demon didn't fall.

 _Was this the thing that almost got me last night?_

The wolves circled her, snarling and snapping. She kept swinging her swords to keep them at bay. In no time, cuts had covered their bodies, but they barely seemed to notice. Bile gathered in shallow puddles at their feet; the grass sizzled and died wherever it landed.

 _So if they bite me, I'm dead. Great news._

Wind whistled in her ears. The wolves lunged. _"Senpuu!"_ she shouted.

Kameyo swung her swords again, and energy formed like a funnel around her. Two wolves slammed into the energy wave and cried out in agony as deep gashes ripped open on their chests. They crashed to the ground, jerking and gasping as bile poured liberally from their wounds. They stilled.

The funnel evaporated, and Kameyo sprang forward, phasing again. Teeth snapped at her arm as she impaled another wolf on the edge of her blade, but they passed harmlessly through her as if she wasn't there at all. She pushed her ki through to her foot and kicked the demon attacking her in the chest. It dropped to its belly on the ground, and Kameyo swung her broadsword again, energy gouging out one of its eyes.

Seven wolves were down to five. But she couldn't last forever.

"KASHIRAAAAAA!" Takako was screaming on the other side of the barrier. _"Help!_

"DEEEEEMONS!" he shouted.

 _Well that's one way to do it, I guess,_ Kameyo thought sardonically.

"Takako! I thought I told you to _run_ and get help?" she shouted, striking out at another wolf with her foot.

"What if something happens when I'm gone?"

"What difference does it make? You can't do anything over there!"

Kameyo forced herself to stay in her intangible state. They couldn't touch her as long as she focused, but the effort drained her ki rapidly. She could escape into the woods, but that meant risking being left powerless in the middle of nowhere if she couldn't lose them fast enough. Better to get past the barrier as soon as possible.

Pain began radiating from her forehead. She grimaced, but tried to ignore it as she sliced the air again, sending another wolf flying. Then it hit her, all at once, with the force of a battering ram.

Her breath left her in a rush. " _Urgh_ —!"

She lost her bearings, and she felt the icy feeling evaporate from her skin as her body solidified. She continued her assault, but the wolves had tightened around her, trapping her in a circle so small that she barely had room to swing her blades. With a vicious snarl, a wolf lunged from behind and sunk its teeth into her upper right arm and shoulder. The broadsword dropped from her fingers. The wolf yanked its head, and she crashed backward to the ground.

 _"Kaa-san!"_ Takako yelled. _"No!"_

Kameyo phased and rolled away, but the damage was already done—blood streamed from the gashes in her skin, and liquid fire scorched her veins. She scrambled backward, her head throbbing from the strain of using her power. She struggled to her feet; no choice but to run, now.

"Heeey!" Takako waved his hands. "Over heeeere!"

Kameyo gaped at him. Something was off, but her sluggish mind was having trouble keeping up. Her eyes widened when she saw it.

There was no red sheen covering him anymore. He'd stepped outside the barrier.

Her heart constricted. " _Takako_? Have you lost your _mind_?!"

Takako narrowed his eyes. "I-I'm not leaving you. I can fight, too!"

"What is _wrong_ with you? I didn't raise you to make such stupid decisions! And you don't even have a weapon!"

Takako reached for his thigh, where she knew he always fastened the holster for his knife…that is, if he had bothered to put on actual clothes this morning. He paled as the wolves turned to face him.

Kameyo cursed under her breath and ran toward the wolves. "Senpuu!"

Another purple whirlwind swirled around her, bringing the sound of a violent storm. Her movements instantly became sluggish as the energy was pulled from her; if help didn't come soon, they'd both be scattered around this pretty field in bloody pieces.

Muffled yelps and growls reached her through the wind. She ignored them, stretching out for her son. She fisted her hand in his shirt and wrenched him against her. Sticky blood and bile coated her shirt, but she felt no pain—which meant her arm was probably about to fall off.

Takako winced. "Sorry."

"And _this_ is supposed to make me feel like I can trust you?" she snapped.

" _Sorry_!"

She clenched her fist over her remaining sword and raised it. She had just enough juice left for one more whirlwind.

"Takako, give me your neckla—" Another bolt of pain rammed into her skull. She gasped and shut her eyes. The snarls were getting louder.

She wrapped her arms around Takako, pressing his head against her chest. _This is it._

"Rekka…SHIN'NEN!"

Heat rolled over her, suffocating in its intensity. The hiss and snap of roaring flames engulfed them, followed by the anguished howls of the demon wolves as they perished.

Her eyes snapped open. She couldn't see anything beyond the wall of red, but she could already hear the hungry growls deep in the bushes—more were coming to finish the job.

"Kid!" a man shouted. "Get back inside before I kill ya myself!"

The pain pounding in her head brought spots dancing in her vision; combined with the acrid taste of the smoke and the heat of the flames, she felt like she wanted to vomit. After the fire had died down, Kameyo had the presence of mind to stumble over and grab her fallen weapon, but beyond that, she couldn't get her brain to work.

"Kaa-san!" Takako shouted, grabbing her hand. "This way!"

She let him lead her to a safe path toward the stronghold. Immense paws pounded on the forest floor, and then the two of them were running, sprinting, toward the barrier. A man with gravity-defying blue hair stood on the other side, beckoning them with his shakujou.

"Hurry, no da!"

"Rekka Shin'nen!" the same man shouted behind her. Another wave of fire roared through the field.

The barrier shimmered in front of her. She lunged for it.

The momentum of her body seemed to slow as she passed through the shield, as if she were slogging through mud or syrup. But then the resistance disappeared entirely and she tumbled to the ground, ending up on her back.

She stared up at the sky—a clear, pale blue unsullied by smoke. She'd made it to the other side.

" _WHOO_!" Takako shouted beside her, covering his face with his hands. When he pulled them away, he was grinning. "We made it!"

Footsteps sounded behind them, and she turned her head. Three men had gathered, including the odd monk with the hair, and a fourth was approaching, a large metallic fan clenched in his fist. His red hair gleamed under the light of the sun, his golden eyes hard with what appeared to be hatred. She glanced around for her niuweidao, but they were feet away; her head pounded with pain and her body felt limp. Her pulse quickened—she didn't stand a chance.

 _Out of the frying pan, into the fire._

The redheaded man bared his teeth, crouched in front of them, and lunged his arm out. Kameyo shut her eyes against a wave of nausea as she waited for the finishing blow, but it never came.

Instead, she watched helplessly as he snatched Takako by the collar of his shirt and hoisted him clear off the ground.

Anger and fear warred for purchase in her stomach, but the anger, _that_ she knew how to deal with. As long as she stayed angry, she wouldn't have to acknowledge the pain.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to her feet.


	5. Lacking Faith

**Chapter Five: Lacking Faith  
**

Tasuki lunged through the barrier and then spun on his heel to face the forest. A pack of at least ten demons had gathered on the other side, baring their disgusting blackened fangs at him. The minute he'd cleared out the ones attacking the kid and the strange woman, these assholes had shown up to take their place.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched them, one by one, turn and retreat into the trees. He had no doubt that they'd be back the moment a _second_ idiot decided to leave the stronghold.

Right now, though, he had to deal with the first.

Tasuki turned to face the small crowd that had formed around the couple. He and Kouji had just been minding their business when the kid had started screaming his head off; they'd argued back and forth about who should've had to handle whatever "emergency" Takako was having at the latrines before a scream of "DEMONS!" had settled the dispute for good.

He pushed past Kouji and Chichiri and leaned down to grab a fistful of the kid's shirt. Takako let out his trademark pathetic little squawk as Tasuki shook him.

"What. Th'. Hell. Is. Wrong. Wit. Ya?!" he shouted, punctuating every word with another firm shake. "Are ya tryna git yerself killed? _Again_?"

Takako paled. "K-Kashira…I can explain—"

"Yesterday night we were _both_ this close ta dyin', an' then ya do somethin' as stupid as walk outside th' only thing protectin' us?" Up close, Tasuki could tell Takako hadn't acquired any new injuries for his trouble, but that was hardly a comfort. Just the fact that he could've had to bury a _third_ person today pissed him off. "Have ya lost yer godsdamned mind?!"

Takako's eyes were huge in his face. "Kashira…I, I didn't mean…"

"HEY!"

Tasuki turned. The woman was on her feet, her hands clenched into fists as she stomped over to them. "Put him down!"

His gaze flicked over her messy hair, her sweat- and blood-streaked face, and her destroyed tunic. Perhaps the first thing he should've asked was if she was all right, but the unabashed hostility in her voice instantly irritated him. Still, he dropped the boy to his feet. "An' who th' hell are _you_?"

She scowled at him, but then her gaze flickered to Takako's for a moment and she sighed with frustration. "What does it look like?" she deadpanned. "I'm clearly a damsel in distress, and this _wonderful_ little boy risked his life to save me."

Tasuki eyed the subtle swell of muscle in her forearms and the scabbards still tied by a sash to her waist, and then glanced at the niuweidao lying on the ground nearby.

Then he glanced at Takako: barely dressed, impulsive, and unarmed.

"Not buying it?" the woman said, folding her arms. "Good. Then maybe you're not as stupid as I thought."

Tasuki bared his teeth, taking a single, menacing step toward her. " _Excuse_ me?"

"What the hell's going on here?" Anzu said, running up to them. Her eyes moved quickly over Kouji, using her laser-focused attention to look for injuries, then did the same to Tasuki. "Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine," Kouji said, waving her concern away. "Th' stupid kid decided ta go on a walk—"

"—I did _not_ go for a walk, I had to save—"

"—But Genrou saved 'im, so now we're jus' tryna—"

"But I didn't _need_ savi—"

"SHADDUP!" Tasuki roared. He stabbed his finger at the strange woman. "An' _you_! What th' hell are ya doin' on my mountain?"

She narrowed her eyes further, turning them into shallow slits. " _Your_ mountain? I wasn't aware that anyone owned it. Who the hell are _you?"_

"Kaa-san," Takako hissed beside her, but his voice rang out loud and clear in the field. "It's _kashira_." His eyes widened once he realized the group had gone quiet. He slapped his hands over his mouth. " _Oh no_."

Tasuki stared at the kid in disbelief. _Kaa-san?!_

"…Did I hear ya right?" Kouji said. "Did ya jus' say…this woman is yer…"

Four heads swiveled toward the woman, who rolled her eyes up at the sky. She sighed again but said nothing.

"I'm gonna ask ya again," Tasuki snapped. "Who. Are. You?"

"She could be a demon," Kouji hissed loudly. "Or someone _possessed_ by a demon. Her gettin' attacked coulda been a ruse from th' beginnin', jus' so we'd let 'er in."

 _"What?"_ Takako yelled. "Aniki, she's _not_ a demon!"

"Maybe they're _both_ demons." Kentaro had walked up to the group, drawn by the commotion. He rubbed his swollen face. "Think about it…he jus' happened ta show up th' same day we all got attacked? An' he jus' _happens_ ta have magic wit 'im that repels them? Somethin' even _kashira_ couldn't do?"

Takako backed up, closer to the woman. "W-Wait…you don't really think that, do you?" He turned to Tasuki. "Kashira?"

Fuck, he didn't know which way was up, anymore. It _was_ an awful lot of coincidences, wasn't it? But his gut was telling him the kid wasn't involved. Plus, if Takako had _really_ wanted him dead, he could've just let Souta chop his head off last night. He'd put his life on the line to help, and that's all Tasuki needed to know. Gods, the kid might not be as sharp as he'd initially thought, but he trusted him…Unfortunately.

Of course, his gut _always_ told him not to trust women.

"What do ya think, Chichiri?" Tasuki asked, folding his arms. "Yer th' expert, not me."

Chichiri frowned and padded over to Takako and the woman, whose eyes watched him warily even though she still refused to say a word. She glanced at her broadswords lying in the grass for a split second before her eyes darted back to the monk.

"I'm really sorry about all the excitement, no da," Chichiri murmured with a bright smile. "I promise you both are perfectly safe here."

 _"What?"_ Kentaro balked. "What th' hell are ya protectin' _her_ feelings fe—" Anzu stomped on his foot, and he dissolved into hissed curses.

The unnamed woman quirked an eyebrow at Chichiri, apparently giving him permission to continue.

"You must be Takako," Chichiri said, acknowledging the boy with a nod. "But I don't know _your_ name, no da," he said to the woman, returning his gaze to her. "My name is Ri Houjun, but most people call me Chichiri, no da! Will you tell me yours?"

The woman's frown smoothed, just a bit. Her eyes rolled heavenward again, and then she closed them. She sighed, and the tension eased from her shoulders. "I'm…Ji Kameyo," she said when she opened her eyes. A ghost of a smile, uneasy though it was, tugged at her lips as she bowed slightly. "It's…nice to meet you, Chichiri-sama."

Tasuki gawked at her. The first thing she'd called him was "stupid," but Chichiri was "-sama" right out of the gate? _Hmph, figures._

"That still don't tell me _why_ yer here," Tasuki said. "An' why this kid is callin' ya his ma. An' why those demons were after ya."

"Well, I'm no _expert_ or anything, but I'm guessing they were after me for the same reason demons do anything," Kameyo said, her eyes narrowing again. "They're _demons._ Sorry, I didn't think to ask them for an explanation."

"Why, you—"

"Da, that's okay, no da!" Chichiri interjected. "I'm sure you were just focused on surviving, which you're pretty good at, I might add. I noticed you and Takako have the same magic…I have to say I'm curious, no da. About…well, everything Tasuki is curious about, I guess."

"Well since _you_ seem to be the only one around here with manners, fine. I'll tell you whatever you want to know." She held up a finger. "On _one_ condition."

"Of course. What is it, no da?"

"Takako's membership is unconditional," she replied smoothly. "So whatever I tell you, whether you like it or not, he gets to stay…if I let him, that is."

"Kaa-san," Takako moaned, hiding his face in his hands. " _Noooo_."

"So I heard him right, then?" Kouji asked. "Yer really his mother?"

Kameyo swung to face Chichiri. "I'll have your answer now."

Tasuki bristled. "What th'— _he's_ not in charge here, lady, I a—"

"Deal, no da!" Chichiri grinned. "We'll make sure Taka-kun is well cared for, no da."

 _Sonuvabitch!_ "Everyone's against me," Tasuki muttered, shaking his head. "Even th' monk." Anzu shushed him.

Kameyo looked at Kouji. "To answer your question…?"

"—Kouji."

"—Right, Kouji. Yes, I'm his mother. As for why I'm here…" She shrugged. "Eh, I'm sure that first answer kind of explains that well enough."

Kouji snickered. "Ya came ta check up on 'im, eh?"

"This is it," Takako groaned, his face as red as Tasuki's hair, "I'm really gonna die."

Tasuki frowned. When the kid had mentioned his meddlesome ma, _this_ hadn't been what he'd been picturing. There was no way she was old enough to have a thirteen-year-old child—she couldn't be more than a few years older than him, if that. And what kind of mother walked around carrying _broadswords?_

"The necklaces we wear are connected," Kameyo continued. "I knew he was coming up here, so I gave one to him for extra protection, in case he needed it. Good thing I did, too. _My_ necklace started burning last night…it does that sometimes, when one of us is in danger, or something supernatural is going on nearby. I noticed he'd been using a lot of the energy, so I came up here to see what was going on." She glanced toward the forest. "There's demons _everywhere_ out there. I'm guessing that's what this barrier is for?"

"Yeah, but we were thinkin' it was jus' _one_ demon, not a whole mountain's worth," Kouji said. "Ya've come across others besides th' wolves jus' now?"

Kameyo shook her head, frowning. "A lot of the people I passed by on the trail this morning were scared…said something didn't feel right, that even the _water_ tasted different here, now. Lot of mumbling about demonic auras or whatever. And obviously, I've got to believe they know what they're talking about. I'm not from around here, after all."

Tasuki raked his fingers through his hair. _Shit_ …that was news to him. He and Kouji had been on patrol just yesterday afternoon and nothing had seemed out of the ordinary…what the hell could've possibly changed in the course of a night?

"Yer kid's necklace helped him fight off th' demon yesterday," Tasuki said. "What kinda magic is that, anyway?"

Kameyo shrugged. "Don't know."

Tasuki stared at her, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

"I've had this necklace since I was a little girl," she clarified, touching her palm to it. "I don't remember where it came from. All I know is, it—or rather, who or what gave this power to me—allows me to do things I wouldn't normally be able to do…turn invisible, phase through walls and solid objects, shoot energy blasts." She smirked. "Kinda fun, actually. Takako can only do the energy blasts, though. The necklace he has is just a cheap copy of mine, I think, so it can't channel the same level of power. But he's too young to handle all of it, anyway."

"Am not!"

Kameyo skewered the boy with a glare. " _Anyway._ I hope that's of some use to you," she said, turning back to Chichiri. "I really don't know anything more than that."

"So whatdya think?" Tasuki asked Chichiri, not even bothering to keep his voice down. "Can we trust her?"

"I don't sense any demonic presence from either of them," Chichiri said. "Although I can't quite make heads or tails of the magic element, no da…but calling it 'magic' is a bit of a stretch in itself, no da."

"Huh?" Tasuki said. "How so?"

"Because it's not tied just to the necklace," Kameyo said. "It's me."

"Eh?"

She propped a hand on her hip. "You're Suzaku no Tasuki, right? So…what do you do?"

"He can run _really_ fast," Takako supplied, grinning.

Kameyo didn't seem nearly as impressed. "So, what. Is that _magic_ that makes you do that?"

"Well, no. That's jus' god-given talent."

"Hm. I like the sound of that," she murmured with a wan smile. "I'm just talented."

"Magic typically needs some kind of conduit, no da," Chichiri explained. "Which would apply in Takako's case, but it doesn't really seem to be the same way for Kameyo-san. The energy in Takako's necklace has the same feeling as Kameyo's ki signature, which means whatever abilities she has are purely her own, no da."

"I suppose my necklace functions more like an amplifier…or something. I don't know." She clapped her hands. "Anyway! I'm starved. What's for breakfast?"

Tasuki glared. "What makes you think—"

"I was making congee before I came out here," Anzu said. She'd sidled up to Kameyo's side, her expression containing none of the suspicion that was probably reflected in Tasuki's. "Which, er, probably means it's burnt now…sorry."

"Rice?" Kameyo rubbed her palms together. "Rice is my specialty. Do you have any more?"

"Hai!"

"All right, then, lead the way to the kitchen." Kameyo bent down to pick up her swords and grimaced, clutching her injured shoulder. "Ah…but maybe I should clean myself up first."

"I can help with that," Anzu chirped. "Infirmary's not that far from the kitchen."

"Wonderful. I'm right behind you."

Tasuki curled his lip in disgust as Kouji, Anzu, Takako, Kameyo, and Kentaro headed inside. Chichiri chuckled beside him.

"Seems like it's just not in a Reikaku bandit's nature to be inhospitable, no da."

"Is it jus' me, Chichiri? Surely I ain't th' crazy one 'ere. Does lettin' in even _more_ people when there's a demon on th' loose seem like a good idea ta ya?"

"Well, better them _inside_ than outside, no da. Which reminds me…we're going to have to take a look around. If it's gotten as bad as Kameyo-san said, there's bound to be clues, no da."

Tasuki nodded, patting his tessen. "Good idea—I wouldn't mind scorchin' a few more demon puppies. Let's get goin'!"

He headed back toward the barrier, but stopped when he noticed Chichiri hadn't moved. "Chichiri? Ya comin'?"

Chichiri fidgeted. "Ano…I really _would_ like some of that congee, no da…."

Tasuki sighed and gestured listlessly at the retreating group. "Lead th' way."

As he followed Chichiri back toward the stronghold, movement on the edge of his vision caught his eye. He turned and spotted Souta leaning against a tree, watching him. Tasuki nodded once in acknowledgement, but Souta didn't return it; instead, he turned his back on him and walked away.

"Well good mornin' ta ya too, pal," Tasuki grumbled.

He shook his head and followed his traitorous friends inside.

XXXXXX

"This is _really_ good, Anzu," Kameyo said, licking the last of her porridge off her spoon. After a trip to the infirmary, she'd been cleaned, stitched, and bandaged, her right arm in a sling to keep her from reopening the wound. Her mood had improved considerably since then, though Tasuki had noted the instant he'd walked into the dining hall that she'd sequestered herself between Anzu and Takako on one end of the table, far from any of the other bandits. "Has a great texture."

Anzu beamed. "Thank you! Reikaku wild rice is the real star, though. Better than anything you can get at a market stall in town, that's for sure."

 _Traitor,_ Tasuki thought, glaring at her. If Anzu could sense his disdain, she didn't let on.

The massive dining hall was more or less empty—twenty guys getting their asses kicked after being possessed didn't make for very good breakfast conversation, it seemed. Anzu had claimed the main table for their relatively small group of seven, but only one other table had been filled. Their voices echoed in the empty space, adding to Tasuki's foul mood—just one more reminder that "normal" was something far beyond his reach right now.

"Hmm…" Kameyo leaned back in her chair, glancing thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Is it long grain?"

Anzu shrugged. "I guess so. I don't know anything about it other than it tastes good. I just cook it."

"Hm. Well in that case, Anzu, do you—"

"So if yer th' kid's ma," Tasuki said, leaning forward, "then that makes ya…what? Thirty? Thirty-one?"

Kameyo turned to look at him slowly. Like him, she made no effort to hide the blatant disdain on her face. _Good,_ Tasuki thought. _At least we both know where we stand._

"Twenty-six," she said, frowning. "But I was trying to have a conver—"

"So twenty-six minus thirteen…" Tasuki did the math in his head, then his eyes widened. " _Wait_ …yer tellin' me ya had 'im when ya were _his age?"_

Kameyo turned to Anzu with raised eyebrows. "Was this man raised in a barn?" she stage-whispered.

"I can _hear_ ya, ya know!"

"Ah…I don't think so," Anzu said, biting her lip to keep from smiling. "But, yeah, he's…well, he has to grow on ya."

Tasuki slapped the table. "I'm sittin' _right here!"_

Kameyo scoffed. _"No,_ you tactless idiot, I did _not_ have a child at thirteen." She stared down at her empty bowl, an expression of loss on her face. She chipped at the bottom of the bowl with her spoon. "Takako was adopted."

"So yer sayin' ya _adopted_ a child at thirteen? An' ya think that makes it sound any better?" Anzu shot him a warning look, but he shook his head. Was he the only one who thought none of this made a lick of sense?

"Maybe, if you _really_ want to know, you'll ask _him,"_ Kameyo said. "Instead of pretending he's not sitting here, _hearing you_. You know, like you just got angry at _me_ for doing."

The table fell silent. Takako's eyes were trained on his bowl, an indignant blush staining his cheeks. Tasuki knew that look—and he instantly knew, as all of them probably did, that whatever circumstances had brought him and his adopted mother together hadn't been happy ones.

Kameyo reached under the table and patted Takako's knee before returning to surreptitiously cleaning up the stray bits of porridge with her spoon.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Takako muttered, scowling at his untouched food.

Tasuki grimaced. "S-Sorry, kid," he murmured, feeling his own face heat up at the, this time, justified admonishment. "I didn't mean ta put th' spotlight on ya."

"It's okay," Takako said, voice strained. "I just wanna focus on something else, that's all."

An awkward silence followed. Kameyo narrowed her eyes at Tasuki, and chagrined, he looked away.

"So, anyway," Kameyo said, "how much would it cost me to buy some of this rice off you, Anzu?"

"Um, well…we don't grow any of that here. We trade for it directly from a farmer near the base. But I could tell you where to find him."

"Wonderful! That'll work nicely, thanks." Kameyo glanced around the table, her eyes finally stopping on Chichiri. "So when do you think the trail will be safe for me to use?"

More silence. Kouji coughed.

Chichiri blinked. "Ano…I don't think this was an issue we were planning to solve _immediately,_ no da."

"But…you're Suzaku seishi." She gestured with her spoon. "Can't you, I don't know, throw a ki blast at them and scare them off?"

Tasuki snorted. "You have no idea how any of this works, do ya?"

" _Obviously_ not," she scoffed. "I try to keep myself _far_ away from demons and imminent death, thank you very much."

"Da…I suppose I could take you back to town whenever you felt ready, no da," Chichiri said. "But if it's no trouble, I'd like to get a look at your necklace first, and see if I can get some more clues about how to fight this demon, no da."

Kameyo's spoon stopped in midair. She narrowed her eyes. "So…you…don't know already?"

Chichiri leaned back, as if he were trying to escape the red-hot intensity of her stare. "Ah, no?"

"So…this mountain is being overrun by demons," Kameyo said slowly, "and you don't even know why? Or how to stop it?"

Chichiri rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…"

"Then it seems like our agreement won't be necessary after all," she murmured, her eyebrows furrowed. "Because Takako's not staying."

Takako's chair scrapped against the floor as he bolted up. " _What_?" Tasuki flinched at his high-pitched tone, but he had to admit he felt bad for the kid.

"Looting and collecting tolls is one thing," she told him, though her gaze was still trained on her empty bowl. "You almost _died_ yesterday—a fact that you minimized, by the way—and no one here knows how long this is going to last. I'd be the worst mother in the world if I let you stay."

"You promised!" Takako spat.

Kameyo sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Takako—"

Takako threw his spoon down and stormed from the room. Tasuki's first instinct was to follow the boy and make sure he didn't do anything stupid…again…but his earlier gaffe kept him rooted to his chair.

"Nice work," Tasuki deadpanned instead.

"Do _you_ want to be responsible for a thirteen-year-old's violent death?" Kameyo shot back. "After yesterday, if you were smart, _you_ wouldn't want him here, either."

Tasuki bristled; her sanctimonious act was royally pissing him off. "I didn't want him here in th' first place," he snapped, "but he saved my life. In my book, he's earned his place 'ere jus' like anyone else. An' it's obvious he'll be a good bandit, once he learns ta control his damn emotions a little better. What the hell's th' big deal?"

Kameyo shook her head. "He tried to convince me otherwise, but the last twenty-four hours have made it clear: This is no place for a child."

"Yet ya let him come up 'ere— _alone_ —anyway. Ya think that makes ya mother of th' year?"

Anzu whirled to face him. "Genrou…"

Kameyo stiffened, her gaze lowering to the table. Noticing the change in the atmosphere, Tasuki started sputtering. "W-What? I'm jus' statin' a fact…"

Kameyo smirked without humor, pushing to her feet. "Well. Since my parenting skills have already been called into question _twice_ this morning, I think it's time for me to excuse myself." She turned to Chichiri. "Let me know when you're ready to talk, Chichiri-sama. In the meantime, I'm going to go find my son."

Kouji sighed loudly as soon as she'd walked away. "She was probably already feelin' guilty 'cause she put 'er kid in harm's way," he said. "Then ya go an' tell her she's a shitty mom ta her face. Idiot."

Kentaro chuckled, shaking his head. "At least _some_ things don't change."

"She didn't have no problem callin' _me_ stupid," Tasuki spat. "But when I got somethin' ta say back, _I'm_ th' bad guy? What th' hell?"

" _Everyone_ here calls you stupid, stupid," Kouji said, cuffing him across the back of the head. "'Cause ya are. That's jus' a fact.

"That's bullshit an' ya know it, Kouji!"

"Ano…look at it from her point of view, no da," Chichiri said, raising his hand. "I get the impression she didn't let Takako come up here without considerable resistance, no da. She probably tried to talk him down and he wasn't interested, so she had to compromise. She gave him her magic to keep him safe, probably expecting the worst thing he'd encounter would be a feral dog or something, no da. Instead, the minute he meets Reikaku's leader, he gets attacked and almost killed. I don't think _any_ woman would be all that friendly or trusting after that."

Aww, hell. Tasuki groaned, his head rolling back. Chichiri wasn't saying anything he hadn't already thought himself, but damnit, he couldn't help but feel bitter over the fact that _he_ was the one being chastised like a godsdamn kid. "So what, yer sayin' I need ta apologize?"

"That would be nice, yeah," Anzu said. "Come on, I ain't seen another woman around here in ages. Can I at _least_ have one full conversation with her before you scare her off?"

"Her ki was all over the place, no da," Chichiri said. "She was _terrified_. You have to remember, it's not just demons she has to worry about, no da."

Tasuki stiffened. "What th' hell's _that_ supposed ta mean?" he snapped.

Chichiri held up his hands, realizing his error. "Ah, it's just…We just told her she has to be stuck in a building full of strange men, bandits no less," he murmured. "That's probably not very comforting for a woman, no da."

His stomach twisted into knots. "Nothing like that happens on Reikaku," he said darkly. "I'd strangle th' first man ta try."

"But _she_ doesn't know that," Anzu said. She was getting that soft, sympathetic look in her eyes again, like he was made of glass. He _hated_ when she looked at him like that, and he double hated that anyone or anything had ever put him into the _position_ to be looked at like that. "Her first impression of you was you grabbing her kid and shaking him. What's she _supposed_ ta think?"

"Damnit," Tasuki hissed. "This is why I don't like havin' 'em around. Too many damn eggshells ta walk over!"

"It's really not that hard to understand," Kouji said. "If yer not an idiot, I mean." He leaned back and folded his arms behind his head. "Ya notice she ain't talk that way ta Chichiri, didn't ya? Gee, I wonder what it is about ya that could be so off-puttin', Genrou. Could it be th' yellin'? Th' cursin'? Usin' yer strength ta overpower people smaller than ya?"

Tasuki's stomach churned. "That's…that's not what I was doin'."

The guilty pang in his chest had never fully gone away, and now it came roaring back at full force. He'd been possessed when he'd hurt Miaka, but…was it possible that maybe it hadn't been one hundred percent Hikou's fault? That maybe…the demonic magic had only _amplified_ what had already been there?

 _No,_ Tasuki thought, clenching his hand over his spoon. _No, no, no. Fuck that, an' fuck this. That_ ain't _who I am._

Kouji frowned, his expression sobering as he watched Tasuki become consumed by his thoughts. "All I'm sayin' is…ya can't be walkin' 'round 'ere all shocked when strangers ain't so fond of yer blatant disregard fer decorum, buddy. It don't make ya a bad person or nothin'. _We_ know yer a good guy. Jus'…" He rubbed a hand down his face, then groaned. "Jus'… _look_ , we're jus' offerin' suggestions, that's all!"

"And _I'm_ jus' sayin', we wouldn't be havin' this conversation at all if ya'd jus' let me turn th' kid away like I'd wanted ta!"

"Yeah, sure," Kentaro drawled, "but where's the fun in that?"

Tasuki jerked to his feet, shaking the table with his vicious movement. "Godsdamnit, _fine_. I'll listen ta ya jus' this once, but then open season on Genrou is over an' done." He pointed a finger at each one of them in turn. "Ya hear me?"

"It's gonna take some time ta adjust ta that," Kouji said with a sigh. "But okay. Jus' promise you'll respect our right ta mourn durin' this difficult time."

Tasuki shook his head, throwing Kouji an obscene gesture on his way out the hall. Gods, if there was ever a time he needed to be alone with some mijiu, it'd be right now. A lot of good being the leader did him when _no one_ respected it. And maybe they shouldn't, he thought with a grimace, if a little kid and a belligerent woman were all it took to knock him this much off balance.

Tasuki stopped in the courtyard, pinching the bridge of his nose as he inhaled sharply and closed his eyes. Deep breath in, deep breath out. He stayed like that for a few minutes—envisioning the toxic, bitter feelings inside of him leaving with each exhale—until he felt like he could keep walking without strangling the first person he saw.

Chichiri could really piss him off sometimes, but Tasuki had to give credit where it was due—the monk generally knew what he was talking about.

As he walked, Tasuki kept his eyes and ears peeled for the boy—there weren't _that_ many places for him to go—and eventually some gut sense pulled him toward the stables. The boy's horse was munching grass in front of them while Takako and Kameyo sat on a log nearby, their backs facing him.

Kameyo's voice carried on the wind toward him. "I'm doing this because I love you," she said. "And I don't want anything to happen to you. And you think that should make me feel _guilty_?"

Tasuki stopped. He should turn around and head back—give them privacy. But he probably wouldn't work up the courage to do this again. He sighed, pressing his back against a tree and letting his head fall back. What a clusterfuck this week was turning out to be, and it'd barely even started.

"I'm _tired_ of feeling weak, kaa-san," Takako answered. "I want to grow up and be a good, strong man. How am I supposed to do that if there's no one to teach me?"

"Well what do you know, the blacksmiths in Souun happen to be men, too. I'm sure Hiroshi-sensei would still offer you that apprenticeship."

"Kaa-san," he whined. "That's not the same thing and you know it."

"I don't get why this is so important to you. The war's over; Konan's safe…" She trailed off. "Well, sort of. What on earth do you have to be risking your life for?"

"You shouldn't always have to come rescue me," Takako said. "You've been doing that since I was little."

She chuckled. "Takako…that's what parents do."

"But how long will that go on? When does it stop? If I'm pathetic and weak like this at twenty, will you still come rescue me then, too?"

Kameyo hesitated. "That's a long time from now. You have a lot of time to get stronger. It doesn't happen overnight."

"But it has to start _somewhere_."

"Yes…but baby steps. Turns out, in you coming here, we skipped the baby steps and I just threw you off a cliff!"

"I don't _want_ you to have to fight my battles," Takako muttered. "If you're worrying about me…that makes you sad. I don't want you to worry. I want to make you _happy._ "

"I _am_ happy—"

"But you haven't been _really_ happy since before the war with Kutou," Takako said. "But you won't tell me _why_. That was the only real time I was ever away from you, right? In Eiyou? So if I'm here on Reikaku and you get a…break…you won't be so sad, right?"

Tasuki's heart clenched in sympathy. _Shit, kid._ Even _he_ knew Takako was playing dirty.

Kameyo's sigh was so aimless and sad. "Takako…"

Tasuki cleared his throat loudly and stomped through the grass. "Oi, kid? Ya out here?"

"Over here, kashira!"

Kameyo's back stiffened. That small reaction alone brought anger rushing over him all over again. "I ain't interruptin', am I?" he asked, reining himself in as he came to stand beside them. "Jus' wanted ta make sure ya were all right."

"I'm fine," Takako sulked. "Just…talking."

"Talkin' about anythin' interestin'?"

"He's still trying to convince me he should stay," Kameyo said flatly, staring forward at the horse. "It's not working so well."

Tasuki closed his eyes. _Breathe in, breathe out._ "I get it, ya jus' want ta keep 'im safe. I can…respect that."

Takako whirled to face him, his eyes fierce and full of betrayal. "Kashira!"

"Hm," Kameyo said in response.

"But ya gotta understand _his_ point of view, too. Yer missin' th' whole picture, here."

Kameyo snorted. "And I'm sure you know _all_ about it, ne?"

"Actually, I do. See, I was only two years older than him…when _I_ came ta Reikaku."

Even though the kid already knew this story, apparently his mom didn't. Her head turned toward him slightly, though she still wouldn't meet his gaze head-on. "Hm. Is that so?"

Tasuki blushed, but forced himself to plow on. "When I was fifteen, I ran away from home. Wanted ta make somethin' of myself in th' city, but I got ambushed by bandits on th' way." He chuckled at her scornful look. " _Different_ bandits. Hakurou—that was the old leader—actually was th' guy who rescued me. I instantly took a likin' ta th' guy, he was so cool…but he tossed me away, said I was too scrawny." He laughed outright at the irony of it all. "Rode off without a second thought. But I didn't take no for an answer."

"So…he let you join?" Kameyo asked.

He shrugged. "Kinda had ta, I didn't give 'im much of a choice."

"Because you were a seishi."

" _Despite_ bein' a seishi," Tasuki corrected. "He thought I could never be loyal ta Reikaku _an'_ Suzaku at th' same time, but he was wrong. Even when I was travelin', a piece o' my heart was still here." He grinned. "No question in my mind that I was comin' back. No matter what."

Tasuki pictured the man now, a tall, intimidating bandit with a subtle Reikaku drawl and a calm, confident demeanor. Tasuki had only been under Hakurou's tutelage for a year, but the lessons he'd learned and the memories he'd created hadn't faded from his memory in the slightest. His heart swelled.

"Hakurou made me inta th' man I am today," he murmured, eyes downcast. "Any good thing I got goin' fer me…well. It's 'cause he got th' ball rollin' first."

A beat of silence passed and then Kameyo turned to face him fully, her face unreadable. "Were demons running amuck back then, too?"

Tasuki blanched. "Ah, well…technically _yes_ , but—"

"But it was worth it," Takako guided, eyes intent. " _Right_ , kashira?"

"Er, yeah, th' point I'm tryna make is…it all worked out. If yer a scrawny kid tryna figure stuff out, there's no better place ta get some hair on yer chest than Reikaku, that's fer sure."

Kameyo clucked her tongue and beckoned for her horse. With a happy whinny, it plodded over and accepted a generous petting. "If he died, I'd never forgive myself." Her voice was quiet, but stern.

"Neither would I."

Both Takako and Kameyo whirled to look at him, but he averted his eyes. Admitting that vulnerability—that being responsible for so many lives did, in fact, affect him from time to time—shouldn't have seemed like a good thing to tell a stranger, let alone a crazy, overbearing female one. But Tasuki instantly felt lighter when he said it, and Kameyo nodded approvingly. (Not that he cared what she thought, of course.)

Takako scowled. "Mou…can we _not_ think about me dying?"

Tasuki nodded. "Right, 'cause that ain't gonna happen, so—hey kid, want me ta teach ya somethin' cool?"

Takako jumped to his feet. "Whoa, really?"

Grinning to himself, Tasuki unsheathed his tessen and held it out to the boy. "I don't let jus' _anyone_ touch my tessen," he whispered, leaning down. "But ya did such a good job yesterday, I thought I'd let ya in on th' secret, jus' this once."

"No way, really? _Awesome_!"

"There's a secret incantation ya have ta say…wanna know how it goes?" Takako's head bobbed rapidly. Tasuki held up a finger. "BUT. Ya can't let _anyone_ know it, not even yer ma. Th' only other person I let in on th' secret is Kouji." _An' Anzu,_ Tasuki thought begrudgingly, but he still said that shouldn't count. "Can ya keep a secret, kid?"

"Gods, yes! Don't worry, I won't—"

Tasuki slapped a hand over his mouth. "Ya gotta learn ta be more direct, kid. A simple yes or no will suffice." Takako grunted against his palm. "Or a nod will do, too."

Takako bobbed his head again.

"Good. So the incantation is…" Tasuki leaned forward and whispered it, then waited for Takako to whisper it back. Kameyo stood at a distance watching them, her head cocked.

"Did ya get all that, kid?" Tasuki asked.

"HAI, kashira!"

"Good. Now go o'er there an' practice!"

"HAI!"

Takako waddled away carrying the tessen—it was too big and too heavy for him to wield properly, but ever the dutiful pupil, he never let the diamond fan touch the ground. With a few loud grunts, he managed to raise the tessen in front of him, and Tasuki chuckled as he watched Takako slowly and carefully mutter the words to make it ignite.

Footsteps crunched on the grass behind him. "Isn't it a little irresponsible to give a small child a fan that shoots _fire_?"

"He ain't gonna be able ta make it work," Tasuki muttered, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Only th' rightful leader of Reikaku—also known as me—can get th' flames ta come, incantation or not. But I'm sure it'll make 'im happy ta try." He studied her.

Her shoulders weren't so tense anymore, and the lines had smoothed from her forehead. A start, Tasuki guessed—he might not like women that much, but he sure as hell didn't take pleasure in hearing one was uneasy around him.

"Thank you," Kameyo said, glancing away. "I…appreciate it."

"Yer welcome. An'…" He paused. "I'm sorry 'bout callin' ya a bad mother. Th' words…well, I'm not so good wit 'em most of the time."

Kameyo's eyes widened, and Tasuki scoffed. Why was everyone always so surprised to see him show common decency? "…Thank you," she said. "Although, I guess it was a fair comment after I called you a reckless idiot."

"…You never called me that."

"Oh. I guess I kept that one to myself." She looked at his face and laughed. "Okay, I'll play nice. No more digs at your expense as long as you keep your nose out of my business…and your hands off my son." She offered her hand. "Deal?"

With a grin, Tasuki enveloped her smaller hand in a firm shake. "Deal."

"I'm sure this is the start of a long and beautiful friendship," she said between clenched teeth, crushing his fingers in her impressive grip.

Tasuki flinched, then squeezed right back. "I can't imagine anythin' in th' world I'd want more."

"Great."

"Great."

Kameyo squeezed his hand tighter.

"Ya can let go at any time."

"You first."

"Kashira!" Takako crowed. "I think I saw something spark!"

They turned to face him, their pissing match momentarily forgotten. Takako crouched into position and waved the fan. "Rekka…Shin'nen!"

Nothing happened.

"Wow, Takako," Kameyo said in an awed voice. "Just for a second…I think I saw it glow."

Takako narrowed her eyes at her—this wasn't the first time she'd patronized him, Tasuki guessed. "Really?"

"Yeah, kid, I definitely saw some red," Tasuki said. "The tessen must know yer gonna be one helluva fighter, one day."

"Aww…only someday? Not now?"

"Sorry, kid," Tasuki said with a shrug and a chuckle. "Everythin' in time."

Takako deflated as he handed the tessen back to Tasuki. "Mou…I bet _you_ got it to work on the first try," he muttered.

Tasuki raised his eyebrows. "How 'bout ya teach me how to use that necklace o' yers? I bet I could take out whole armies if I could throw fire _an'_ ki with this fan."

The boy looked like Tasuki had just asked him to cut off his own foot. "You-You can't!"

Tasuki planted a hand on his hip. "Whatdya mean, I can't? I'm a seishi, ain't I? Ya think I don't know how ta concentrate my ki?"

Takako shook his head. "It's not that. I'm the only one who can use it…well, me and my mom. You have to be really connected to the ki before it'll respond to you."

Tasuki stomped his foot. "Wait jus' a damn minute, kid! Are ya sayin'…" His eyes widened, his hand pressed to his chest. "That magic _ain't_ just somethin' that any ol' asshole can use?" He gasped. "Ya mean it requires actual patience and skill?"

Takako blushed. "I…well—"

"An' even a _seishi_ couldn't get it on th' first try? Is that what yer sayin'?" Tasuki fanned his face, his voice raising an octave. "I don't even believe it…this is all too much. I think I'm gonna faint."

Takako laughed. "Okay, okay…I get it, kashira. Magic is awesome. It's not a crutch." He grinned, pointing at the tessen. "And one day that's gonna be mine! You'll see!"

"I dunno, kid. I think both Kouji an' Anzu'll have dibs long before ya."

"Well I'll jus' have to get stronger than _both_ of them, won't I?"

"Hm," Kameyo said, but she was smiling softly. "But I think the first step would be remembering to put on clothes."

Takako glanced down at himself. "Oh shi—" He flinched. "Oh, I meant cra—" Kameyo lifted a brow at him. "Uh, never mind! Cursing is bad!" The boy took off in a run, throwing a wave over his shoulder. "I'm going to go get dressed, thanks kashira!"

Tasuki snickered. "Geez, sure won't be a dull moment long as he's around, that's fer sure." He glanced at Kameyo, who'd gone quiet again as she watched her son run off. "Well?" he pressed.

Kameyo glanced at him, then returned to stroking the horse. "You missed me, didn't you?" she cooed. "I missed you, too."

Tasuki rolled his eyes.

"I think you can tell a lot about a man," Kameyo said, pulling out a sugar cube and feeding it to the mare, "by the way he treats women and children." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Do you think that's a fair statement?"

Tasuki grunted. "I guess so. What're ya getting at?"

"Do you think all the men on this mountain would agree?"

Tasuki stiffened. "Yeah," he gritted out, "I do."

She slanted her eyes at him. "Even the ones who were possessed by a demon just now?"

Tasuki opened his mouth to protest, but well, if anyone knew the truth… "I wouldn't have let th' boy stay if I didn't think I could keep him safe," he snapped. "So let's get that out of th' way right now."

"Hm," Kameyo said. That single noise dripped with so much cynicism that Tasuki instantly found himself on edge again. And she must've sensed it, because she sighed loudly. "Believe it or not, I'm not trying to be cruel," she murmured, turning to face him while rubbing her injured arm. Her violet eyes had softened. "He told me that you _did_ save his life yesterday, and it's not like I've never heard of the Suzaku shichiseishi and all they've sacrificed for this country." She shrugged. "Honestly, that's the only reason I let him come up here in the first place, and I don't take anything you've endured for granted. Thank you, for all of that, truly." She folded her arms. " _But._ You say I'm not getting the whole picture here, but I don't think _you_ are, either."

"An' what th' hell does that mean?"

"You're the leader of a _bandit_ stronghold. Takako's life isn't the only one you're responsible for." She grimaced. "But two of your men are still dead."

"What th' hell is wrong with ya?" Tasuki exploded. "Do ya think this is a game? That it don't bother me that all this shit happened on my watch?"

A flash of something—regret, maybe—passed over her face, but it was gone before Tasuki could name it adequately, replaced by a bone-deep weariness that caused her body to deflate.

"I think it bothers you a lot," she said softly. "As it should. But from _my_ perspective, as a mother, your words aren't going to keep my son from getting killed.

"It's not your fault, but at this point, any promises you make regarding Takako are empty," she continued, averting her eyes. "And as long as that's true, what you want from me is something I can't give you."

Tasuki inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to massage his chest. That fucking ache was back.

Kameyo shook her head. "I won't make Takako leave _yet_. I'll stay long enough for my arm to heal and for Chichiri-sama to do…well, whatever it is he does. But there's really only one thing you need to know about me, _Genrou_." She met his eyes, her mouth a grim line. "I'm not afraid to be the villain, if that'll keep him safe." She grabbed the horse's reins and clucked her tongue, guiding the animal back toward the stables. "Whatever you're feeling about the men you've lost, multiply that by a dozen. And maybe then you'll be able to understand things a little better from _my_ perspective."

Tasuki watched her walk away, his hands clenched at his sides. She'd sincerely thanked him for risking his life as a Suzaku seishi, but she'd called him "Genrou," not "Tasuki." The subtext was clear enough—whatever he'd done in the past for the sake of Konan as a whole wasn't going to make an iota of difference in terms of how she felt. Ryouga and Eiji were dead, and Takako could've easily joined them. As long as her kid was under his care, he was no different than any other man who made a living stealing from people. _But only the bad guys_ , he thought without conviction.

Anger swirled inside him, and when he realized why, his body started to tremble as he resisted the urge to grab his tessen and set the whole fucking field on fire.

He wasn't mad at her for not trusting him. As much as he wished he _could_ be.

He was mad because she was right.

" _Sonuvabitch!"_


	6. Scattered Pieces

**Chapter Six: Scattered Pieces**

Souta stared up at the bright blue sky, the midday sun warming his skin.

He felt like he was freezing to death.

"Fuckin' hell," he said, rubbing his arms. "As if I didn't feel shitty enough already."

He sat leaned against a tree, his knees drawn up to his chest. Apparently it wasn't enough that his muscles were aching; now his head was congested with snot and phlegm and he could barely breathe. It seemed like the "flu" that had started all of this in the first place still hadn't cleared up yet.

He tried not to think about what that meant.

Blowing out a breath, Souta closed his eyes and concentrated on the soft chirp of birds and cicadas that filled the air. Being outdoors always soothed him, and if there was ever a time he needed soothing, it'd be now. The resident "medic" had slipped him some opium—"shit, I think ya deserve it," he'd said—and that was helping, to say the least, with the pain. But he couldn't get his damn brain to shut up.

 _Stop thinkin'. Thinkin' only gets ya into trouble._

Kouji had cornered him again earlier, talking some shit about how "meditation" could help ease his mind after his "ordeal"…Souta snorted. He'd always known that Anzu was slowly castrating the man, but that little spiel had taken the cake.

 ** _Souta._**

His eyes popped open.

 ** _You're in danger._**

It wasn't quite a voice—more like a feeling, an instinct. But he heard it loud and clear all the same. His heart started pounding. "Th' hell?"

 ** _The barrier didn't work. Someone's here. Someone who shouldn't be._**

Souta clenched his fists. _Should…should kashira know?_

 ** _You can't trust him,_** his intuition told him. ** _He's been compromised._**

Fuck. Of _course_ he had. Kashira had always been kind of soft, hadn't he?

 ** _Find the woman. Don't let her out of your sight. She's up to something. Something bad._**

"It's up ta me," Souta muttered. "I gotta protect th' stronghold, if kashira can't. If he won't."

But…why him? He was one of the stupid assholes who'd gotten mixed up with the demon in the first place, although he still didn't know when or how.

 ** _But the boy freed you, didn't he? He got rid of the demon. They can't touch you anymore._**

Yeah…that snot-nosed kid. Souta felt like shit now, but getting punched and kicked tended to do that to you. The flu-like symptoms he was feeling were probably just reactions to the poppy. Souta nodded to himself. He was fine. So maybe that kid wasn't so bad after all…How had he done all of that, anyway?

 ** _The boy could prove useful. But the woman is endangering him, too._**

Fuck. That's all women were good for, really.

Souta jumped to his feet. "Gotta keep an eye on 'er," he said. "Find out what I need ta know, then make my move."

He hurried back toward the building.

XXXXXX

"All right, no da," Chichiri said, nodding toward the forest. "Are you ready?"

Tasuki glanced up at the barrier, shimmering softly in the sunlight, then turned back to the distant trees. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck before he threw Chichiri a grin that he wasn't completely sure he felt.

"As if I'm ever _not_ ready," he said, unsheathing his tessen. "I could really use a distraction right 'bout now, an' killin' some demon dogs is as good as any!" He frowned, his eyebrows pinching together. "But, wait…ain't it gonna be a problem if ya leave th' barrier?"

Chichiri shook his head. "No, it'll stay up regardless. I made sure to tell Kouji to warn everyone not to leave because they wouldn't be able to get back in until we returned, no da." He paused. "I think he offered to tie Taka-kun up, but I'm sure Kameyo-san vetoed that pretty quickly, no da."

Tasuki grimaced at the mention of that woman and her kid—call him petty, but he still couldn't bring himself to use their actual names—and raised his eyebrows. "An' if th' demon strikes while we're gone?"

Chichiri frowned. "Da…I made sure to check every nook and cranny. There's nothing in here that shouldn't be, no da."

 _Yeah, so_ you _say._ Tasuki sighed, rubbing his chest. "All right. Guess I gotta take yer word for it, don't I?"

Tasuki hadn't run into that woman since their confrontation right after breakfast, but her words still bugged him, for some reason. What the hell kind of nerve did she have, telling _him,_ a Suzaku seishi, that he was in over his head?

He just needed to be a little more diligent, that was all. As if that would be any different than what he _usually_ did. Hmph.

After his eyes had swept over the barrier one last time, checking its integrity, Chichiri turned to face Tasuki, his head cocked. "Is everything all right, Tasuki?" His voice was soft.

Tasuki waved his concern off. "Fine, fine. Jus'…ugh, this whole thing just reeks, ya know? First it was Dokuro, then all that shit with th' Seiryuu seishi, then Tenkou…" He scoffed. "Jus'…when th' hell do we ever get a break, huh?"

Chichiri chuckled. "We're Suzaku seishi, no da! This is our whole reason for existing."

"Yeah, yeah," Tasuki grumbled. "But I ain't been able ta go inta town an' take a load off fer ages. Promise me after we kill this thing, you'll give me a pouch full o' money an' ask no questions while I make an ass of myself in every bar I can find."

"Deal, no da!" Chichiri bowed low at the waist, gesturing toward the barrier with a flourish. "After you!"

Still muttering under his breath, Tasuki stepped forward and slipped through. He shivered as the warm energy passed over his body, giving him a bone-deep sensation of safety and warmth; he emerged on the other side feeling utterly exposed. As Chichiri stepped into the clearing beside him, Tasuki glanced around with his tessen raised, ready to start chanting at the slightest disturbance. But the forest was quiet and calm, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves as the sun beat down on them.

"So where to?" Tasuki asked, frowning as he lowered the tessen reluctantly.

"I'll try to focus on where the dark energy originates from," Chichiri said, closing his eye. "And then we'll head in that direction."

" _Peachy_."

Chichiri lifted two fingers to his lips, his shakujou jingling in the breeze. Tasuki watched a faint red shimmer appear around the monk, and then Chichiri pointed off to the right. "That way, no da. Whatever is causing this has been through here recently." He opened his eye. "You remember what I taught you, right?" he asked softly.

Tasuki grunted. "Yeah, I know. Deep breaths, intentional thoughts, blah blah blah."

Chichiri chuckled, gently brushing a fern aside that loomed over the path. "Your dedication to the discipline is astounding. I think you may have been a monk in a former life, no da."

"Hmph. Smartass."

They fell into a companionable silence as they trudged through the thick underbrush and down the craggy slope. Chichiri's staff announced their arrival to the wildlife, and twigs snapped around them constantly as little animals scampered away. Tasuki glanced at a fat brown rabbit perched on its hind legs near a tree, its nose twitching. He smirked as he watched it bound away; yup, that one was going to be something's lunch pretty soon. "Why're we walkin', anyway?" he called to Chichiri, who had moved ahead of him as the path dipped precariously. "Can't we jus' teleport there?"

"We could, but we might miss some important details in between destinations. Kameyo-san mentioned something about demonic auras, no da—I want to make sure we keep a lookout."

Tasuki glanced up at the treetops, the leaves lined with golden light that cast speckled patterns on the forest floor. "Everythin' 'round 'ere seems fine ta me."

"Looks can be deceiving…no da." Chichiri ducked under a naked, low-hanging branch and then stopped to look back at Tasuki. "So, how is Taka-kun adjusting? …It's weird to call him that, no da. I can't help but think of Tamahome's reincarnation."

Tasuki smirked. "Oh yeah, I guess yer right. Didn't even notice. I was too busy thinkin' about how he has the girly-ish name possible…and that he kinda reminds me of…"

Hmm. Should he even say it?

"Chiriko, no da?" Chichiri finished for him.

"Heh. Yeah," Tasuki said, ducking under the same branch and moving to walk beside his friend as the ground evened out. "He's the same age as Chiriko was back then. _Definitely_ not as smart, though."

"But it seems that he looks up to you in the same way. I recall that you were really fond of Chiriko, no da."

"…Yeah." He flicked a beetle off of his arm. "Can't believe it's been four years since he an' th' others died." He looked up to meet Chichiri's gaze. They shared a moment of quiet reflection, and then Chichiri smiled slightly.

"Mm," he said. "By the way, I've heard Mitsukake has already been reincarnated."

"Really? Well, that makes sense. Ya think Hotohori and Nuriko will be turning up soon too, then?"

"Hard to say. It's possible they'll be reborn all at once, or staggered like we were originally, no da. But Mitsukake was born to a nice family of farmers. Maybe we could go visit them, no da?"

Tasuki tried to hide his grimace, but groaned when Chichiri's eyebrows shot up in response. "I…I don't think I'm ready for that yet," he murmured, rubbing the back of his head. "Jus' 'cause they're reincarnated don't mean they'll be exactly the same, ya know? It jus' seems weird ta mourn them one minute an' then change their diaper the next. 'Sides, they deserve a break. They don't need ta remember an' be dragged back into seishi problems."

Chichiri smiled, the corner of his eye crinkling. "Mmm. That's very mature of you, no da."

Tasuki scoffed, folding his arms. "Gee, whatdya know? It's almost as if I'm an adult with working brain cells."

"I'm not a doctor, no da," Chichiri said with a shrug as he continued walking. "It wouldn't be fair of me to comment either way."

Tasuki nodded. "Yeah, yer…" He stiffened. "… _Hey!_ Yer makin' fun o' me again, ain't ya?"

"Not at all, Tasuki," Chichiri called over his shoulder. "I just don't have the medical expertise necessary to determine the state of your brain, no da."

Tasuki stopped walking to glare at him.

Chichiri cocked his head. "Something wrong, no da?"

"…I really hate ya sometimes, 'Chiri."

Chichiri chuckled. "I love you too, no da!" He glanced down at the ground between them and his smile fell, replaced with a troubled frown. "Da…" He pointed, and Tasuki followed his gaze to a haphazard trail of pale brown spots, about as wide as an adult's palm, in the dirt that extended as far as the eye could see in front of them. Grass and plants flourished as normal outside of the tainted soil, but anything that had grown in those spots had withered and died.

"Demon toxin," Tasuki muttered, shaking his head. A shiver ran up his spine.

"Hai," Chichiri muttered, rubbing his chin. "But if I hadn't been looking for it…"

"Yeah. Well, at least that means it's not as bad as it _could_ be, right?"

"Maybe…let's follow the trail, see where it ends…no da." Chichiri's fist tightened around his shakujou. "I can already feel it getting stronger."

More and more of the strange spots mottled the ground the farther down the mountain they went, and it was definitely not Tasuki's imagination—there were huge gaps in the canopy, now, bare branches jutting into the sky like ragged, broken teeth. He watched Chichiri's posture gradually stiffen as the evidence piled up; his own heart ached at the sight of all the damage one demon had done in a single night. What the fuck was going on here?

"Tasuki, look over there, no da."

Tasuki followed Chichiri's gaze to a pile of moss-covered rocks adjacent to the main mountain trail…or at least, they _had_ been covered in moss the last time Tasuki had seen them. Now, everything—rocks, ground, shelter, and all—were a dull, lifeless brown.

The same brown as those weird spots.

"It's dead," Chichiri whispered as he approached it, his voice stunned.

"What do ya mean, _'it's'_ dead?" Tasuki snapped. "What's 'it'?"

"The shrine," Chichiri said, turning to look at him. His eye was wide. "There's supposed to be a thread of ki going through it…but there's nothing here, no da."

"So…what? The demon killed it, is what yer sayin'?"

"Close your eyes, no da. Listen to the pulse of the mountain."

Tasuki scowled, but he did as he was told. He focused on the ground beneath his feet until he felt the dull electric hum that flowed up from the sacred mountain's core. He cursed.

"Hey, 'Chiri…" Tasuki said, opening his eyes to glare up at the sky. "Do ya think…?"

"Yes, I sense it, too. The barrier's even weaker than it was yesterday, no da." Chichiri stroked his chin. "You know where all the mountain shrines are, don't you?"

Tasuki shrugged helplessly. "Yeah, I guess."

"Let's head to the main one, no da. I…have a hunch I'd like to explore."

The "main" shrine was really a large cave that opened up near the mountain's peak, not far from the stronghold. Its mouth was a black, gaping hole guarded by a torii, with shide hanging from carefully arranged posts wedged into the rock above it. Although anyone could pay respects and leave tributes at the entrance, legend had it that only the purest of souls could actually enter the cave and return unscathed; as far as Tasuki knew, no one had ever gone in and come back to tell the tale, so apparently such a soul hadn't revealed themselves yet.

Tasuki sure as hell wasn't going to try his luck.

"Well, here ya go," he said, gesturing to the cave. "If yer gonna actually step onto th' rocks in front of it, yer supposed ta take yer shoes off first."

"Hmm…" Chichiri waved his hand in front of him, feeling for the invisible energy surrounding the area. "This shrine is covered by a secondary barrier, no da. It's much stronger…as strong as or even stronger than the original one that covered the mountain, no da." He took a step forward, then cried out as a loud _Bzzt!_ sounded in the air. "Ouch!" He rubbed his arm. "Da…guess we can't get to it, no da."

"Eh? Why in th' world would th' shrine be protectin' itself from _us?"_ Tasuki put his hands on his hips. "I've been livin' on an' protectin' this mountain since I was a kid. An' _this_ is th' thanks I get?"

"Well…you make a good point. Maybe you should try, no da."

Tasuki glared at him. "Oh, sure…admit it, ya jus' want ta hear me make a girly scream like you jus' did."

"That wasn't a _scream,_ no da…I was just surprised, that's all. But if the mountain is in trouble, it would make sense that it would try to keep out any random person that came here." He pointed at the tessen in Tasuki's hand. "But that means you've been chosen, right? So maybe you'll be able to make it, no da."

Tasuki frowned. As Hakurou had put it, the tessen had been passed down for centuries to the rightful leader of the Reikaku bandits of every generation—no one else but the one true leader would be able to make it work. But obviously that wasn't _quite_ true; Eiken and Anzu had proved that pretty soundly. And it was even more complicated since Taiitsukun had transformed the iron into diamond—supposedly that meant only _Tasuki_ could use it, but again, Anzu had kind of disproved that theory.

 _Jus' like a woman, makin' things complicated when they shouldn't be._

Tasuki grunted. "All right…I'll try it. But I hear a single snicker outta ya when I get zapped, I'm kickin' yer pasty ass right down th' hill."

"I have no doubt, no da."

Taking a deep breath, Tasuki closed his eyes and walked forward. Goosebumps prickled on his skin as a cool veil fell over him. He opened his eyes. He was standing in front of the mouth of the cave, staring into the darkness. Somewhere, deep down below, he could hear the sound of water, like a babbling brook. He grinned.

"Hey, whatdya know, 'Chiri?" he called, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. "Guess yer right—I _am_ special after al—"

 ** _Kou Shun'u._**

Tasuki jerked as a deep voice echoed in his mind. He whipped his head around. "What th—"

 ** _It Is Time To Choose. Who Deserves Your Loyalty?_**

"Oi, 'Chiri," Tasuki called, backing up, "what th' fuck is goin' o—"

A sharp electric jolt smashed into Tasuki's chest, and he let out a startled gasp as the energy pushed him out into the opening. His foot caught on a loose stone and his body pitched backward.

"FUUUUCK!"

He tumbled down the hillside and crashed into a heap at the bottom.

"Tasuki!" Chichiri peeked down at him from the top of the hill. "Are you all right, no da?"

Tasuki spat out a leaf and let out a long string of curses as he pulled twigs out of unmentionable places. "What th' fuck jus' happened?" he yelled, sitting up and flinging a twig. "An' who th' hell was talkin' ta me?"

Chichiri frowned as he peered down at him. "…I didn't hear anything, no da."

"I heard a voice in my head. It said, 'It's time fer ya ta choose who yer loyal ta.'" Tasuki gestured wildly with his hands. "What th' hell does that mean?"

"I don't know, but obviously the mountain doesn't trust you fully because of it."

"What? It's a godsdamn mountain! What th' hell business does it have, bein' possessive like that?"

Fuck, weird demons, a disappearing barrier, and now this? Was the entire world out to get him today?

"I have no idea, no da. But seems like we'll have to figure it out if we want to help restore the barrier." Chichiri glanced back at the shrine. "I can't blame the mountain for being suspicious—whatever demon this is…it's been by here, I can feel it. And I also have a feeling this stronger barrier is an attempt to keep it out, but at the cost of the protection of Reikaku as a whole, no da." Chichiri drew a symbol in the air and then brought his fingers to his lips. "The demon's probably destroying the smaller shrines to try and make it easier to take over the whole mountain, no da."

"Over my dead body, it will!" Tasuki snapped, jumping to his feet.

"This is very odd…" Chichiri murmured, but his voice carried on the wind. "What's so special about Mt. Reikaku? Why _this_ mountain? And why attack the Reikaku bandits, specifically?"

Tasuki dusted himself off as he trudged back up the small hill. "Well, if th' Reikaku bandits are th' protectors of th' mountain an' th' demon wants ta take over…seems pretty obvious why we're on its hit list. But how come th' shrine let me in, only ta reject me? Obviously it's gotta know I'm only tryna help!"

"Hmm. Well, there's not much else we can do until we learn more about this demon. Let's head back to the stronghold…I should talk to Kameyo-san now, I think."

Tasuki groaned. "I _still_ say we shoulda kicked 'er out. She's gonna be trouble, I can tell."

Chichiri grinned. "You said the same thing about Anzu-san, no da."

"Exactly my point! An' I still mean it, too!"

"Hmm…but as I recall, _you're_ the one who was talking about building an extra wing…most likely so Karin-san would have somewhere to stay if she wanted to visit, no da."

Tasuki jerked away, his face heating up. "H-How…I never sai—"

His mind raced; he didn't think he had ever said anything to anyone about that—hell, even Kouji didn't know, and he'd never let Tasuki live it down if he did. But now Chichiri was chuckling softly at him.

"Da…Tasuki, we've known each other for over four years now, you know? I've learned to read your body language, no da."

He scowled even as a rapid blush heated his face, and he turned away from the monk's knowing look. "Fuck off, I ain't interested in no woman stayin' here an' never have been! An' th' 'trouble' is exactly why!"

 _Trouble always finds you eventually,_ his subconscious muttered. He imagined himself throwing it off a cliff.

Chichiri shook his head, still smiling. "I know I give you a hard time, but…you know, it's okay to be honest with me about how you feel. It's not a bad thing, no da. You're only human. It's all right ta admit you ca—" He ducked Tasuki's swinging arm. "—Stop that, no da!"

"Anzu would be gone tomorrow if it were up ta me," Tasuki grumbled. "Which it _should_ be."

Chichiri's lip twitched. "If you say so, no da."

"None of that matters now, anyway. She's with Kouji, they're happy, an' th' idiot is prolly gonna ask 'er ta marry him soon." He sighed. "Then I'll never be able ta git rid of her."

"Do you really hate Anzu-san that much, no da?"

Tasuki paused. "It's…it's not that I _hate_ her…jus'…things were a lot less complicated when it was jus' me an' Kouji."

 _Like runnin' a bandit stronghold, for instance_ , he thought with a scowl.

Chichiri cocked his head. "Da…don't tell me you're _jealous,_ no da _._ "

"Am not!" Tasuki snapped.

"No one could replace you, no da," Chichiri said, clapping him on the back. "I think that's pretty obvious."

"Yer messin' wit me again, aren't ya?" Tasuki grumbled.

"No, no da. Everyone who knows you turns out to like you…for some reason." Chichiri turned toward the shrine again. "Anyway, I put up a ward to supplement the barrier—just because the shrine doesn't like me doesn't mean we can't help it out a little, no da. Unfortunately, I can't fully protect it _and_ the stronghold at the same time."

Tasuki nodded, rubbing his sore arm. "Don't think anyone expected ya ta. But hey, it's been pretty quiet since this mornin'. Maybe whatever attacked that lady an' her kid went on ta greener pastures."

Chichiri made a noise in the back of his throat. "Or it's just waiting for the perfect time to strike, no da."

"Ya couldn't even let me dream fer _one_ minute, could ya?"

"Sorry, no da. Let's use the animal trail back. We could find something else to help us piece things together."

The animal trail was even more unstable and rugged than the one used by humans. By the time they had finally made it within sight of the stronghold, Tasuki's shirt and vest were damp with sweat, and his injuries from last night made his joints ache. "Fuck," he moaned, stopping to perch on a large rock, his head bowed forward. "Ya think Mitsukake had his powers as a baby? Maybe we should see him after all."

"I still have his holy water, you know. If you really need it."

Tasuki shook his head and wiped his brow. "I have a feeling I'm gonna get my ass kicked a hundred times worse by the time this is all over," he deadpanned. "Better save it."

"Hmm…I can't tell if you're being pragmatic or overly defeatist, no da."

Tasuki groaned. "Do me a favor an' stop fuckin' analyzin' me? Pretty please?" He rolled his shoulders and glanced to the left, toward the stronghold. Some odd lump was laying on the ground. "Hey, 'Chiri?" He pointed. "What's that?" Chichiri shrugged, then waited for Tasuki to ease to his feet before they walked over, together, to inspect it. When they did, Chichiri let out a soft, mildly distressed noise that probably mirrored the expression Tasuki was wearing on his face.

A fat brown rabbit lay in the path just in front of the stronghold, dead.

Its head had been ripped from its body.

"M-Maybe a hawk er somethin' came through 'ere," Tasuki said, glancing around, but he raised his tessen anyway.

Chichiri turned his head, and whatever he saw made his eye narrow and his mouth flatten into a grim line. "…Did the hawk do _that_ too?"

Tasuki glanced over his shoulder, then let out a cry and slapped his hand over his mouth. "H-Holy hell…"

Something—he couldn't tell what, maybe a deer—had been ripped apart, its bloody entrails strewn in sopping heaps in the grass. Blood splatters covered the nearby trees, as if the demon had slit the poor creature open with large swipes of jagged claws.

On the moss-covered tree trunk right behind the carcass, someone had used its blood to paint the words:

 _ALL yOur GOds wiLL DIE_

Tasuki wanted to vomit, but the words triggered a niggling memory in his mind…

"Th' age of gods is over," he murmured. When Chichiri stared at him, he said, "That's what Ken— _no,_ the demon—said yesterday. I thought it was just gibberish, but now…"

 _Holy fuck. What the fuck—_

"I…think it's time I pay a visit to Taiitsukun-sama," Chichiri said. The man rarely became visibly unsettled, but Tasuki would be able to recognize that stiff set to his shoulders anywhere. He stared up at the canopy, his eye focusing on something only he could see. "…No da."

Tasuki shuddered. "Y-Yeah, I think that's a _really_ fuckin' good idea right now. I'm cringin' jus' thinkin' 'bout her face, but anythin' would be better than this shit."

"Well, this does settle one thing for you, no da."

Tasuki inclined his head. "What's that?"

"Whatever is going on here," Chichiri said, shaking his head in disbelief, "right now, the safest place on the mountain—next to the main shrine, which we can't get to—is in that stronghold, no da. Which probably means it's not wise for Taka-kun or Kameyo-san to leave anytime soon, at least not until I can talk to Taiitsukun-sama and find out how to use their magic to help keep that demon at bay—"

Great. Just great.

"—otherwise, we risk the demon toxin spreading even farther, no da," Chichiri finished.

Tasuki swore. "Jus' what I need, another meddlin'…" He paused as he reviewed Chichiri's statement again in his head, and then he gritted his teeth. "Wait. How far, exactly, are ya thinkin' this could go?"

"This mountain is a major artery through the region. All sorts of merchants travel through here; people get their water and produce here, no da. You say something made the other bandits sick, which led to them being possessed. For all we know, it's the demon toxin that started it, no da." Chichiri made another sign over his chest. "Let's just keep this hypothetical, and say that those people Kameyo-san spoke to _weren't_ imagining things, no da. The water _really does_ tastes differently, which means it's been tainted by demonic energy, which also means that if you drink it…"

Chichiri trailed off. He didn't have to finish the thought; they both had already begun to imagine a hundred different, horrible scenarios for how this could play out. Tasuki's eyes went wide.

"Reikaku water feeds straight into the cities," he muttered.

"And whatever isn't ingested directly goes into the soil, and the plants. Which we also eat," Chichiri said, eyebrows furrowed. "But the barrier is still up, which means it's helping fight off _most_ of that, I think, no da. That, besides the personal vendetta, is probably why so far only the bandits have been affected, because they spend the most time up here, no da. Even now, the sacred energy is much stronger than the demonic, as a whole. At least, as long as the mountain doesn't lose any more shrines.

"But if we can't figure out how to stop that demon from getting stronger," Chichiri said grimly, "everyone within miles of this mountain could die…or worse."

A few years ago, Tasuki might've responded with irritation, disbelieving that anything could be worse than death.

Now, he knew better. There were things that were much, much worse. His gaze flickered to the mutilated corpse, and he shuddered.

"Get to Mt. Taikyoku," Tasuki commanded. "I've gotta lock this whole fuckin' place down."

Chichiri nodded. "I've spelled the barrier to let you in, no da. I don't plan to be gone long, but whatever you do, do _not_ let anyone go outside."

Tasuki jerked his chin. "Right."

With a flick of his wrist, Chichiri threw his kasa into the air. A flash of red light, and then he was gone.

XXXXXX

Not far away, a pack of wolves snarled and snapped as they circled their fallen pack mate, which gasped as it struggled to breathe through its shredded throat. The cloud floated soundlessly above the ground and watched.

"If you can administer that sort of savagery to each other," they murmured, "then surely you could've done the same to the seishi."

The largest wolf among the pack—a stocky, charcoal black animal with piercing yellow eyes—sneered, its yellowed teeth coated with slick, oily bile. Disgusting.

The injured wolf on the ground let out a strangled yelp as one of its pack mates ripped at its tattered haunch. The wolf trembled; bile coated its fur like tar as the animal slowly bled out, but death would not come easily—it never did, for a yokai, even one as weak and pathetic as these ones. The cloud longed for their bandit vessels, however pitiful they may be. At least humans could _attempt_ some form of higher intellect.

"A woman and a boy are one thing," the alpha wolf snarled. " _One_ seishi killed a dozen of us. But two…"

Another wolf, this one brown, pulled away from its impromptu feast and licked the gore from its face. "The monk is too powerful," it whispered. "To attack him would be suicide."

The cloud scoffed. "What makes you think I care in the slightest what happens to the likes of you?"

The alpha flattened its ears against its head, a low rumble vibrating its chest. "You said you would not interfere."

"I said I would not cut you down where you stood," the cloud clarified. "I said I would not attempt to keep you from hunting on this mountain, despite the fact that you owe your new free rein to me. What I didn't say, however, was that you would not still be indebted to me for my kind concession."

"However true that may be, we have no use for your grudge against the seishi," the alpha declared. "We wish only to feed. And the ningen that travel through here are more than enough for us."

The cloud hissed. "You will touch not a single human until I command it so."

The pleasurable growls that had accompanied the wolves' cannibalism died away. As one, they lifted their heads and stepped away from their meal—now reduced to a carcass with glistening flashes of bone revealed—and formed a disciplined line in front of the cloud. It was almost laughable, the cloud thought—that they could be so prideful and so stupid at the same time.

"We do not answer to you," the alpha snarled, triggering an answering wave of threatening growls from his subordinates. "You are not our master."

The cloud grunted. "The only reason you have any power here at all is because of me. I would think my requests are perfectly reasonable, no?"

The wolves didn't agree. They snarled, baring their disgusting blackened fangs again.

"Poor little demon, without a body," the alpha said with a raspy laugh. "You are owed no deference." It grinned. "Tell me: Who did it? Who destroyed your mortal form?"

The cloud swirled, a red, shimmering haze pulsing from it, stronger with each passing moment.

The alpha laughed again—a harsh, grating sound. "That's it, isn't it? You were once a yokai? And then someone much stronger than you put you in your place." It snickered, turning to its pack mates. "A formless specter has even less station in this realm than we do. And yet it dares to command us to do its bidding?

"You have no power that was not stolen from someone else," it said after returning its attention to the cloud. "Why should we bow to _you_?"

Unbidden, decades of memories filtered through their mind—memories of pain, humiliation…betrayal.

 _Kill them,_ their other sides whispered ferociously. _Kill them all._

 _But death is too good for them now,_ they decided.

They had been proud once, too, but right now, _power_ was what they needed most. Sacrifices had to be made.

"I was never a yokai," the cloud said simply.

The wolves laughed. "No?" the alpha said.

"No. I was, and always will be, a god."

The laughter quickly died away. The steady pulses of energy emanating from the cloud grew hot, stifling, until even the demon wolves gasped out in surprise as the stale air coated their mouths and throats.

Reikaku's pulse was a tiny drumbeat that vibrated in the ground, the water, and even the air. But it was weaker now—just weak enough that suddenly possession wasn't their only recourse in their time of need…even if the vessel they _truly_ wanted was still far from their grasp.

The wolves flattened their ears and backed away. All except the alpha, who kept its ground despite the hackles raising along its ridged back.

"Would you like to know the story?" the cloud whispered. "Of how I lost my mortal form?"

The alpha bared its fangs, but its gaze had dropped to the forest floor.

"I was betrayed," they continued. "I killed her, but she still managed to destroy my body before she died. But the essence of who I am—the essence that still makes me an incredible threat to pathetic wastes like you— _that_ still remains." They paused. "I want you to convey another message."

Another pulse of energy burst from the cloud, finally pushing the alpha wolf back. It remained silent.

"Tell the other yokai on this mountain…no, this entire region…that the age of gods is over," the cloud told them. "Tell them that the North Wind has come to claim what is rightfully theirs, and that if you want to live…you will align with their just cause."

"Ridiculous!" the alpha spat. But uncertainty had crept into its voice.

"And for those of you who I allow to live…" The cloud laughed. "I want you to tell tales of what I'm about to do to your alpha most of them all."

Killing was an activity that used to send pure ecstasy coursing through them. But when a lesson needed to be learned…well. There were fates must worse than death.

"How dare you challenge me?!" the alpha snarled. Its head whipped from side to side as its pack mates slunk away, tails tucked between their legs. "What are you all doing? How dare you abandon your own leader?"

"Souls are so fragile," the cloud whispered, their voice a cacophony of indulgent purrs and threatening growls that fought for dominance. They drifted closer to the wolf, claw-like appendages forming in the smoke. "So precious. And yet, with just a tiny prick…"

The smoke slammed into the wolf, who let out a high-pitched yelp as they seeped inside it. The wolf's soul, tinged a bright, noxious yellow, lashed out, trying to force them out of its body. The cloud chuckled to themselves. It didn't stand a chance.

The cloud sunk their talons into the wolf's soul and filled it with their dark energy.

 _You are mine,_ they whispered. _You are done._

The wolf continued to fight, foolishly so, lashing out in every feasible way trying to break free. On the inside, there was only abstract chaos. On the outside, however, millions of razor thin cuts had appeared on the wolf's body. It yelped and stumbled before righting itself, black bile oozing from its wounds as they overpowered it. Another sharp tug, and the wolf crashed to the ground, writhing onto its back. They pushed the wolf to the brink of death—their power was almost too much for it—and then melded its mind with their own.

 _You are mine,_ they repeated. _Forever._

A vestige of that former ecstasy, that power, surged through them as they tussled inside the wolf for dominance. Flashes of the wolf's innermost thoughts and feelings seeped into their awareness: **_Pain. Stop. It hurts. Please. Don't._**

 ** _I'll do anything._**

They merely laughed and absorbed it all—every thought, every feeling, every weakness, every strength—until not a single fragment of the yokai's original consciousness remained.

They opened their eyes— _their_ eyes, not a vessel's _—_ and stared at the other wolves, who had crept to the far edges of the trees, their wide yellow eyes anxiously tracking their every move.

"Oh my," they whispered, testing their paws on the loamy soil. "It seems I _am_ in charge now, after all."

The wolves glanced at each other. Flattening their ears to their heads, they prostrated themselves.

"Good," they said, baring their teeth in a grin. "You will call me Master now."

"…Yes," the wolves agreed.

The alpha shook their head. "No…Master is too dull. I think it is time for me to reclaim my proper name." They advanced on the wolves, licking the demon blood from their maw. "From now on, you will know me as…Fujin."

"Yes…Fujin-sama."

Pleasure coursed through them at the acknowledgment. This body was too small, too tight—they would need to absorb many more demons before they were strong enough. Their eyes must've glimmered with their bloodthirsty intent, because the wolves backpedaled farther.

 _But if I am to destroy the warrior and Reikaku,_ Fujin thought, _this won't be enough. I need to absorb more power. I need to get past that barrier._

Luckily, there was a bandit who could help them do just that.

But first…

"Follow me," Fujin snapped, veering off toward the trees. "I think it's time to pay my respects to Reikaku-zan."


	7. True Nature

**Chapter Seven: True Nature**

Kameyo massaged her temples, willing her pounding headache away. Over an hour had passed since she'd seen any of the bandits—including her own son, who had skipped off after Kentaro sometime ago and had yet to reappear—and she was struggling to choose between finding somewhere secluded to take a nap (again) or exploring some more. But if she was going to be trapped here for who knew how long, she should at least have a passing familiarity with her surroundings.

The stables were appealing because Cho was there, but so was the smell of a dozen other horses; her headache was bad enough already. And Anzu had promised to help her acclimate, but the last time Kameyo had seen her, she'd been doing activities with Kouji that— _apparently,_ for some _unfathomable_ reason—required her to not be wearing a shirt.

 _Must be nice,_ Kameyo thought _._ She wasn't sure whether she was being sarcastic and decided she didn't really want to find out.

She stepped into the open, watching the swirling pink and orange of the sky as cicadas chirped all around her. Still no sign of Tasuki and Chichiri, not that the redhead's loud, explicit cursing would improve her mood any.

Just then, as if summoned by her thoughts, Tasuki burst through the barrier in front of her, alone, a scowl digging deep lines into his forehead. She moved to turn around and walk away—but something about his expression made her stop short.

He looked, if not outright scared, then obviously rattled by something. His long legs moved in purposeful strides, his weird fan— _tessen_ , she corrected mentally—clenched tightly in his hand. And he was shaking his head and muttering to himself, as if his sense of disbelief was so strong he couldn't help but look and act like a raving lunatic.

She grimaced as she remembered their conversation that morning. Sure, maybe she'd been a little harsh, but she'd meant every word. Pleasantries weren't going to protect her, and they _certainly_ wouldn't protect Takako.

But it was obvious that Tasuki knew something about all of this that she didn't, and if she wanted to find out what that was, she needed to play nice. She sighed.

She forced a smile on her face and called out to him. "Genrou!" He glanced at her, did a double take, and then cursed as he quickened his pace. "Aw, come on," she said, jogging over to him and then meeting his stride, "I'm not _that_ bad, am I?"

She _really_ needed to stop asking rhetorical questions. The look Tasuki threw her answered her inquiry and then some.

"Not now," he said, turning forward again. He swept through the stronghold's grand but moldy doors and took a left. "I gotta talk ta Kouji about somethin'."

"Why?" she asked in between pants. Gods, his legs were long. "Is something wrong?"

Tasuki's eyebrows furrowed, but he stayed silent. Kameyo started to wheeze as she struggled to keep pace with him, and perhaps subconsciously, he slowed to a more measured gait. He stopped at the doors to the dining hall, which were closed—and also rotting, Kameyo thought with a cringe—and turned to face her.

He folded his arms. "Shouldn't you be, I dunno, restin' or somethin'?"

"I've already taken two naps today. I'm fine," she lied. Her head was still throbbing. "You're dodging my question, though."

He sighed, his head rolling back. "Why is it that women have ta be so godsdamn nosy?" he asked the ceiling.

"Gee, I don't know. I guess it has something to do with being trapped in a building full of strange men who've been possessed by demons after I was bitten by a—"

Tasuki flicked his hand. "Shit, fine! _Fine._ Ya made yer point." He swiped that same hand over his face. "Can I at _least_ talk ta my second in command before ya interrogate me?"

Kameyo bit her lip, remembering the compromising position she'd spotted Kouji and Anzu in earlier. "Ah…" She smirked despite herself. "I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Tasuki narrowed his eyes. "An' why th' hell not?"

"Because the last time I saw Kouji, he had Anzu pinned to a wall, with his hand down her—"

"THANK YOU!" he snapped. "As if I haven't been traumatized enough fer today!" He shoved a hand through his unruly red hair, his face a rosy shade of pink. "Shit!"

She laughed. Poor fellow looked like he was about to explode, but she had to admit, it was pretty adorable to see him so riled up over something so harmless. She smiled wider. "I'm sure he'll postpone his…activities…if you tell him there's an emergency."

Tasuki shook his head. "Fuck, there's been an emergency since last night. But _obviously_ getting laid is more important."

" _Or_ maybe he's scared and stressed, and spending some quality time with his lover is all that he can depend on to keep him sane right now."

Tasuki grunted, but her response seemed to pacify him a bit. "Well, great for _him_. Fuck th' rest of us, I guess."

Kameyo observed him quietly. Such an odd man he was—and how old was he? Obviously younger than her, but…he was definitely in early adulthood. Of all the things she'd imagined when hearing of the heroic adventures of the Suzaku seishi, Tasuki hadn't been it at all. But when he'd actually helped summon Suzaku the first and second times, he'd been even younger than he was now. That had to count for something, didn't it?

 _Yeah,_ Kameyo thought with a snort. _It means you need to stay far, far away from him._

But when she opened her mouth, the first thing that came out was:

"What do you need?"

Tasuki stared at her.

 _Well, shoot._ She mentally kicked herself. _So much for that._

Kameyo cringed inwardly, but soldiered on. "You need help, don't you? And since both of your friends are… _busy_ , maybe…" She groaned and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "I…can help?" When she glanced up again, he was _still_ staring blankly at her. She sighed, gesturing toward the door. "If time is of the essence, then you're going to need someone to confide in. Unless you still think I'm some sort of corrupt onmyōji, or something."

"No offense," Tasuki deadpanned, "but I doubt there's anythin' ya could say that could make any of this any better."

Kameyo folded her arms. "Well, I suppose there's only one way for you to know for sure."

They stared at each other, and his brilliant amber eyes grazed over her as if he was seeing right into her soul and determining if she was worth the effort. She pursed her lips, unfazed by his skepticism, and he groaned, his shoulders slumping.

"The demon is poisonin' the whole damn mountain," he said. "'Chiri thinks that's what's been makin' our guys sick."

 _And we're stuck here, anyway._ "Great news," Kameyo said flatly. Her arm throbbed just then, as if to remind her that leaving the barrier wasn't a safe bet, either.

Tasuki leaned his hip against the door. "He also thinks that same demon toxin is why th' people ya talked ta think the water tastes funny. But as long as the mountain's barrier stays up, they're safe…" He averted his gaze. "Fer th' most part."

"So drinking the water does it?"

"Or eatin' th' food, or walkin' on the ground, or breathin' th' air…" He shrugged. "Who th' fuck knows how widespread it is. But it's definitely happenin'."

Kameyo stiffened. "But _you_ want us to still stay here?"

It had taken Takako days to find his way to the stronghold, hadn't it? His sense of direction was atrocious; he'd probably wandered up and down this mountain the entire time, and surely that meant he'd had to make camp, and bathe in a stream or refill his water pouch… She shivered. _Oh gods, I think I'm going to puke._

"It don't look like it happens immediately—ya get sick little by little o'er time, so most people won't even notice," Tasuki continued. His words wedged another spike in her gut. "We, on the other hand, are fucked. So the barrier 'Chiri put up is protectin' us. As long as we stay in _here,_ we won't have ta worry about gettin' poisoned. That's why I wanted ta talk to Kouji—" A muscle in his cheek twitched as a murderous expression crossed his face. "—because as much as I hate ta admit it, we need to make sure everyone here stays put an' close down th' trails till we can get ta th' bottom of this."

"Hm," Kameyo said. "There's no water source inside, though. And Anzu said the food comes from merchants near the base, right? So staying in here just means we'll all starve or die of thirst instead of by demon shenanigans."

Tasuki banged the back of his head against the wall. "Which is exactly my issue."

"Well. You could just have someone go out and collect food and water periodically. As long as you minimize contact, you'll still be coming out ahead, ne?"

"But the food and water is still gonna be tainted."

Kameyo rubbed her chin. "So does Chichiri-sama's barrier _purify_ demonic energy? Or just suppress it?"

"Suppress," Tasuki said, glaring at the opposite wall. "Otherwise we wouldn't have ta be worryin' 'bout anyone still bein' possessed in th' first place."

So if someone was possessed, the demon wouldn't necessarily be exorcised just because they were inside the stronghold. The food wouldn't necessarily be safer, and any demon toxin…wait.

Kameyo's eyes widened as she stared down at her right arm. "That demon dog bit me."

"Yeah? An'?"

She poked her arm gingerly. It was stiff and painful to the touch, but overall it seemed no different from a bite you'd expect from a normal dog. "Its saliva killed anything it touched, but my arm hasn't fallen off."

Tasuki's eyes widened too as he pushed off the wall and faced her. "So…ya think stayin' in here cured ya?"

"No…my arm definitely still feels stiff. But maybe the barrier is keeping the poison from spreading to my—aw, fuck."

He jerked forward at her swear. "What?"

Kameyo gritted her teeth. "If the barrier is the only thing keeping me from dying, then I really _am_ stuck here."

"Great news," Tasuki said flatly. Her horror must've reflected on her face, because he sighed. "Ya _ain't_ gonna die," he said. "'Chiri carriers holy water wit 'em. Ya jus' gotta wait until he gets back, that's all."

Kameyo nodded, swallowing to relieve her dry mouth. "So we just have to figure out how to get supplies into and out of the stronghold without putting your bandits at more risk. At least until you kill that demon, of course."

"Of course."

She eyed him. "You spend just as much time up here as anyone else. How come _you_ haven't been affected?"

Tasuki shrugged. "Th' hell if I know. I'd say it's 'cause I'm a seishi, but Kouji an' Anzu have been fine, too. So far."

"Hm. If the barrier suppresses demonic energy, bringing food in here will still be pretty safe, right? I mean…safer than it would be otherwise."

"I…guess that's true."

"So it's still preferable to starving, obviously. And if Chichiri-sama purifies the food himself, I'm sure that would eliminate any additional risks it could pose."

Tasuki narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. "Hm."

"So I think your biggest issue, at this point, is figuring out how to tell your men all of this without them freaking out and starting a mutiny. _Especially_ since you can't really do your duties as a bandit if you're here instead of out on the road."

Tasuki whacked his head against the wall again, making Kameyo grimace. If this was a common coping mechanism of his, it would explain a lot. " _Fuck!"_ he snarled. "I didn't even think of that."

Kameyo nodded, her mind made up. "Considering that, I don't think you should lock down the stronghold at all."

Tasuki's eyes slid closed. "Yer crazier than I thought," he said with a scoff.

Her mind flashed back to her time in Eiyou, right before the war. She could still hear the clang and clash of metal, could still feel the way her muscles screamed as she threw all her weight into her swing, hoping to parry the impending blow.

 _Think,_ he'd shouted as he forced her back. _Your life is in danger. There's nowhere for you to run. Think!_

"Think about it," she murmured, still hearing that phantom in her head. Reflecting on those memories had made her voice soft, but unyielding. She tried to shake them away. "You're dealing with grown men…they knew all along being a bandit was dangerous, didn't they? But they're here anyway. I don't think hand holding and patronizing is going to do anything but make them resent you.

"So instead, let them know you have a plan, everything's under control, but you still suggest they stay here as much as possible to minimize exposure," she continued, her hands gesturing wildly. "Switch up the patrol rotations so everyone has to do it, including you, but no one has to do it for longer than a couple hours. And make sure that everyone who got injured has the best care possible." She cocked her hip. "If your men are scared, or angry, the _worst_ possible thing you could do is lock them up in close quarters with each other and give them nothing constructive to do. These men are workers. So let them work. Involve them in the solution and you'll have a much better chance of getting out of this with your sanity still intact."

Tasuki's eyebrows had increasingly furrowed as she spoke, his left hand tapping an impatient, frenetic rhythm on the wood panel he was leaning against. When he opened his eyes, he gazed down at her with bald irritation and she blushed, ducking her head and twirling a strand of hair around her finger. _"_ Th-That's just _my_ perspective, anyway," she muttered, feigning a casual shrug. "I certainly wouldn't know anything about those kinds of things…" _Shut. Up._

His glare intensified. "That's actually a good idea."

Her jaw dropped open. "If it's such a good idea, why are you scowling at me?"

"Because I wish it wasn't."

Kameyo snorted, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Admit it. You just hate that _I'm_ the one who came up with it and you're not."

His narrowed eyes became mere slits, and now he was pounding the wall with a closed fist, like he was trying to restrain himself from punching something. Kameyo cleared her throat and took a small step back.

"Hm. There's no time or place for pettiness when people's lives are at risk, ya know," she said.

He raised an eyebrow, letting out an indignant grunt. "Ya pretty much said point-blank that ya don't trust me _or_ my men. Why should I believe _anythin'_ ya say?"

"Because I'm stuck here too, remember? This is about protecting my interests just as much as it is about yours. I didn't come all the way up here to die."

"Hmm. So let's jus' say, _hypothetically—"_ He used air quotes. " _—_ I take yer advice an' don't lockdown, an' everyone gets killed. What th' fuck am I supposed ta do, then?"

Kameyo opened her mouth and then quickly closed it, biting her lip.

Tasuki leaned forward, scowling. " _What_?"

 _Don't do it don't do it don't do i—_ "Are you asking because you _really_ want to know what I think?" she asked. "Or are you just paying lip service?" Judging by his reaction to their earlier conversation, he wasn't going to be pleased.

Tasuki gritted his teeth, seemingly bracing for the blow. "I really wanna know."

Kameyo gazed at him, her head cocked. "But first: Was that _all_ you saw on the trail?" she asked softly. "That the demon was poisoning the mountain?"

Tasuki visibly started, and then his gaze dropped to the floor. "…No."

Kameyo stepped forward, placing her hand on his forearm. Even through his thick shirt, the bandit radiated heat—a heat that made her feel…tingly. Off balance. Suddenly… _familiar_ with him. Tasuki glared down at her hand but made no move to push it off. "Tell me," she said, giving what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze. "Please."

Tasuki sighed. "Someone left a really fucked-up message on th' trail fer us," he murmured, a muscle ticking in his jaw as he gazed down the hallway, his angular features in profile. "Slaughtered some animal an' decorated the forest with its blood, among…other things."

Kameyo removed her hand and pressed it to her stomach, closing her eyes. "Was…that the message?"

"No. 'All yer gods will die.' _That_ was the message th' twisted fuck painted on a tree usin' th animal's fresh blood. Chichiri left fer Mt. Taikyoku so he can talk ta Taiitsukun fer advice." He laughed without humor as he braced his arm against the door, turning to face her again. "So let me guess: Ya definitely think I'm in o'er my head now, don't ya?"

Kameyo cringed. "I…"

Tasuki shook his head. "Wouldn't be th' first time," he muttered. "But, ah well. Don't got a choice in th' matter, do I?" He rolled up his right sleeve, and Kameyo saw a faint red kanji glimmering on the skin right above his wrist. 'Tsubasa,' it read. "That's what it means ta be a seishi, don't it?"

Before she could come up with an intelligible answer, her necklace warmed against her collarbone. She glanced down and scooped the gemstone into her palm, watching as the viscous purple liquid pulsed and swirled in the stone's center.

She couldn't remember a time when it was this active.

A shadow passed over her hand. Tasuki had leaned forward, his arm now braced on the door frame right beside her. "What _is_ that thing made of, anyway?" he murmured. Heat radiated from his body, sending the hairs on her arms on end. Her stone burned still brighter, hotter.

"All I can figure is it's some kind of cave mineral," she said. "I talked to an expert, once—a merchant in the capital who sold stones based on their healing properties. He said he'd never seen it, but that it was perfectly attuned to my ki." Before she could think better of it, she said, "It probably saved my life."

"What do ya mean?"

"When I was eight years old, something happened to me that gave me these powers. I can't remember what, but I was unconscious for a month." Tasuki's eyes widened. "No one knew what was wrong with me, or what to do to help. My parents were sure I was going to die. At the very least, I was slowly starving to death."

She shrugged. "Then one day I just woke up, and _this_ was around my neck. I heard a voice, or maybe an instinct, in my head that told me to never take it off. So I don't. Obviously. But it's never made me feel so… _off_ , before." She pressed the heel of her hand into her eye socket. "I feel like…I feel like I've been here, on this mountain, before. I feel like all of this—you, me, the demon—I feel like this has happened before. And if I could just remember _why_ …but gods, my head hurts. Something tells me I don't want to know."

Why was she telling him all of this? The pounding in her head was getting worse now—stabs of pain accompanied by bursts of intense white light.

"I know what ya mean," Tasuki said softly. "Ever since yer kid got 'ere an' that demon attacked…all I can think about is the past." He scoffed. "An' I'd really, really rather not." He dipped a finger underneath her necklace chain and lifted it up, watching the stone sway in the space between them. The violet light flared brighter still, and a flash of warmth filled her belly. "But…maybe all of this is jus' a coincidence." His eyes lifted to hers. "We can hope, right?"

 _Daichi._ The word popped in her head unbidden…no, it sounded more like a name. Who was "Daichi"?

"I don't believe in coincidences," Kameyo whispered. A jolt of pain shot through her body, and suddenly he was too close, and she couldn't breathe, and she pushed away from him, stumbling backward as she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Tasuki's face looked pained. "What th' hell—"

 _"_ _Let's jus' say, hypothetically, I take yer advice an' don't lockdown, an' everyone gets killed. What th' fuck am I supposed ta do, then?"_ he'd asked. _  
_

Kameyo shook her head, rubbing her temples. "The answer," she grunted. "To your question?"

"Yeah?" Tasuki prompted.

"You have to stop framing this in terms of 'either no one dies or everyone does.' There's no foolproof option. You're not going to be able to save them all. More people are going to die, regardless."

A noise escaped Tasuki's throat that sounded like a mixture of a growl and a resigned moan.

 _I'm sorry,_ she thought. _I just can't let me or Takako be one of them._

She flinched as another jab of pain burst in her skull. An image flashed in her mind.

 _Green eyes stared at her. They were too vibrant to be real—they seemed to glow from within._

 ** _"_** _ **Kameyo,"** a deep voice said. **"It's Time."**_

Her vision went black, and with a shudder, she pitched toward the ground.

Seconds before her head smacked the wood floor, strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and guided her safely to a seated position.

"What th' fuck!" Tasuki snapped. "I don't have time fer this shit!"

 _So considerate,_ she thought, pulling her legs up against her chest and bowing over them. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing…deep in, deep out…until the haze assaulting her brain finally began to recede. But the pain in her head still made opening her eyes difficult. With a groan, she lay down on her side and curled into a ball, blocking the light of the flickering lamps and retreating sun that were sending stabs of misery straight to her skull. Her quiet dark cocoon was already starting to make her feel human again.

Tasuki poked her in the arm.

"H-Hey," he said. Another hesitant poke, this time between her ribs. "Did ya die?"

 _Oh gods_ , Kameyo thought. _We're all doomed. This man is an idiot._

She scoffed, cracking her eyes open. Her head throbbed in response. "Would I be able to answer you if I had?"

"Hey, don't get mad at _me_ 'cause _yer_ th' one who jus' fell over fer no reason!" But he rubbed a hand over her back in tiny, soothing circles until she let out an appreciative moan. He stiffened and yanked his hand away, as if burned. "What th' hell jus' happened?"

"Ngh…I don't know," she said, her voice muffled by the cocoon of her arms. "I've been feeling lightheaded ever since I got here."

"Since that demon bit ya?"

"No…even before that. My head feels like someone's drilling nails into it."

Tasuki grunted, moving to sit beside her, his back to the wall. "Ya've never been up on a mountain before, have ya?"

She peeked up at him. "No. Why?"

"Yer body is probably havin' issues adaptin' ta th' air," he said with a shrug. "It's a lot thinner up here. An' I'm sure tusslin' with a bunch of demon wolves didn't help matters much fer ya."

"Fantastic," she spat. As if she didn't have enough problems. "So how long does it take to adapt?"

Tasuki shrugged. "Depends. Jus' drink a lot of water an' take another nap, you'll be fine."

She chuckled without humor. "You mean the water that isn't safe to drink?"

Tasuki snorted. "Ya just devoured nearly a whole pot of congee, made from rice grown on this mountain _an'_ water, after getting' bit by a demon that's _still_ tryna kill ya. I think it's a lil' late fer self-righteousness."

"Ugh, okay. Fair enough." She sighed, flinging her arm over behind her. "I'm sure Kouji and Anzu are done now; you can go. I'm sure you have better things to do than watch me lie here." She closed her eyes. "I'm just…I guess I'll just rest here until this pain wears off."

"On th' floor?" Tasuki said incredulously. "Ya can't sleep on th' damn floor."

"Why? Are you saying you actually—"

"—Yer blockin' th' door," Tasuki said. "An' dinner'll be ready soon."

Kameyo felt her hands twitch. Prince Charming, he was not. "Well too damn bad, because I'm not going to get up again until I'm sure I can walk without running into something," she snapped. "So just leave me—hey!"

Tasuki scooped her up easily in his arms and started walking. She wanted to smack him for being so casual with her, but that weird warmth fluttered in her belly again at his touch. Suddenly, she felt like she could snuggle into his shoulder and fall a—what, _no_ , hell, what was wrong with her?

"What the hell are you doing?" she said mildly. "Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere ya can moan an' complain all ya want without disturbin' th' peace," Tasuki grumbled. "Yer no use ta us in fightin' this demon if ya let yerself keel over an' die."

"I never agreed to help you 'fight' anything. I already told you: Once my arm heals, I'm out of here."

"An' I want ya ta leave jus' as much as you do—no, I take that back: even _more_ than you do—but fer right now, yer stayin' put, so ya might as well make th' most of it."

She couldn't disagree, but his callousness made her want to punch him in the face. And _this_ was a Suzaku seishi? _This_ was one of the saviors of the entire country…no, their entire world?

Well fine, whatever. Better him than her.

"I'm takin' ya ta Anzu's old room," Tasuki continued. "She don't use it anyway, so you'll have th' place all ta yerself." He glanced down at her quickly. "An' it even has a good deadbolt, so if ya want…" He trailed off, but the subtext was clear—he was trying to make her feel safer.

She felt her irritation subside a little, to her surprise. _Hm_ _…So he_ can _pick up on social cues?_ _Does that mean he just chooses not to?_ Geez. trying to figure him out was only going to make her headache worse.

"I'm sorry for implying that your men are anything other than honorable," she said. "But things are…" She ducked her head as more memories assaulted her: gentle fingers on her chin, swiping the blood from her cheek. Humiliation, resignation, fear. She shrugged stiffly. "Things are more… _complicated_ , when you're a woman."

He snorted and shook his head, his pearl teardrop earrings swaying gently against his neck. "I _know_ that. That don't mean it don't bug me that that's somethin' I gotta worry about."

Not quite the way _she_ would frame it, but it was a start, at least. "Anzu seems pretty comfortable here, though," she conceded.

Tasuki laughed, his face transformed by a mischievous grin. "One guy had th' shitty idea ta grab her ass once durin' training. Fucker still flinches whenever he sees her…" He chuckled, raising his eyebrows. " _Or_ Kouji."

Kameyo bit the inside of her cheek. "What a shame." _I knew there was something I liked about her._

Tasuki stopped in front of a door on the far end of the eastern wing of the building. After adjusting Kameyo slightly in his arms, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. It was hard to see much from her position, but Kameyo craned her neck as much as she could. The room was sparsely decorated—a small bed with a red quilt folded up neatly on top; an ornate dresser, carved with images of the four beast gods; and a long, wooden table that spanned the length of the room, above which a paneless circular window poured in fresh air and sunlight. Still, the staleness of a room long unoccupied hung in the air.

Tasuki walked across the room and dropped her onto the bed without ceremony; she let out a tiny "oof!" as she bounced on the lumpy, straw-filled mattress.

"There ya go," he said, folding his arms. "Stay here, lock th' door if ya want, an' try not ta do anythin' stupid until 'Chiri comes back. I gotta find Kouji an' make sure he keeps all of his fuckin' appendages ta himself fer th' rest of th' day."

Kameyo laughed. "Was that an intentional pun?"

Tasuki raised his eyebrows, but his lip tipped up. "No," he said, grinning outright now, "but I'll give ya a free point fer noticin' anyway."

"Haha. Nice."

His smile faded as he cocked his head at her. That searching look was back again. "Ya obviously don't got a problem wit _my_ foul mouth—so why are ya so hard on the kid about his? An' I definitely noticed that 'fuck' ya slipped out earlier today, 'fore ya think ya can do th' 'I'm better than all ya hicks' thing again." He squinted his eyes.

She looked at him— _really_ looked at him. He wore a dark-green vest over his long-sleeved white shirt, with a pair of belts crisscrossing his broad chest that he seemed to be using as holsters for his tessen and a simple short sword. His long legs seemed to go on forever, and the permanent scowl on his face, as well as his intense amber eyes, bolstered his elevated status and competence in battle. But she was starting to sense a vulnerability there, too—maybe one that even _he_ wasn't fully aware of—that made it hard for her to feel so tense around him now. Hearing the story about his childhood sure hadn't hurt, either…there were some key similarities between them that she wished she could ignore.

If Takako were to grow up here, she wondered, is _this_ who he'd become? Someone like Tasuki? The thought terrified her. No one should have to shoulder so much, so young.

If anyone would know that, it'd be her.

"How old are you, Genrou?" she murmured.

Tasuki scoffed. "What th' heck does that have ta do with anythin'?"

She shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just curious."

His eyes were wary. "I jus' turned twenty-one."

So much could happen to a person in five years. Or eight, for that matter.

"Parenthood is all about idealism," she said with a sad smile. "If you're a good parent, you don't want your kid to turn out just like you—you want them to be better. That's all."

Tasuki frowned. "An' him bein' a bandit…won't make him better?"

The incredulity in his words wasn't lost on her. "It won't make him any _safer_ ," she said, "and safety would definitely be something that would make _my_ life better. Let's just leave it at that."

It wasn't the answer he'd wanted, she could tell, but he nodded before turning on his heel and heading for the door.

"Thank you," she said to his retreating back, "for carrying me. And for being honest with me, earlier. I appreciate it."

Tasuki rubbed his neck, which was turning pink. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Jus' remember what I said about not keeling over, an' we'll jus' call ourselves even." He grabbed the knob and started to tug it closed behind him. "I'll make sure th' kid knows where yer stayin'. Ja ne."

"Ja ne…" She smiled. "Gen-chan."

Tasuki paused mid-step, his head turning toward her slightly. But then he just sighed.

"Not even worth it," he muttered. Kameyo grinned and slid from the mattress as the door clicked shut. Less than a minute later, a knock sounded.

"I haven't locked it yet," she called, spreading the quilt out over the bed and smoothing out the wrinkles. "Honestly, Genrou, did you—"

A broad body brushed against her from behind. "—Not Genrou."

Kameyo whirled around, pressing her hand to her chest. "Wha—!"

A man with thick, unruly brown hair and a long, lean face stood just inches from her, a yellow ribbon tying back his hair. He was tall, though not quite as tall as Tasuki or Kouji, with brown eyes that were so dark they appeared black as he stood with his back to the window. He wore an enigmatic smile that might've appeared flirtatious in any other situation, but combined with his haggard appearance and the bruises that dotted his body, it only made him look more menacing.

She glanced at the door, which was flung wide open, but the hallway outside was empty. A loud clanging noise, like a hand or utensil pounding against metal, sounded through the stronghold—dinner was ready.

"Can I…help you?" she asked coolly.

"Jus' thought I'd introduce myself." He bowed his head, never taking his eyes off hers. "Name's Souta. I'm one o' th' bandits 'round 'ere, obviously. I didn't see ya come in, but I heard yer th' new kid's ma? Yer stayin' wit us fer a while, right?"

"Yes," she murmured. "Just for a few days. A week, at the most. I'll be gone before you can get sick of me."

Souta nodded. "Hey, but there's no rush, ya know? Ya can stay as long as ya like. If th' Reikaku bandits are anythin', it's hospitable, ya know?" His gaze raked down her body. "We definitely could use a little more of a… _softer_ touch around here, if ya catch my drift."

If she'd had any doubt about his intentions before, she certainly didn't have them now. The sexual innuendo in his words was compounded by the way his eyes lingered, unabashedly, on her chest.

 _Honorable men, my ass._

"Let's get one thing straight," Kameyo hissed. "If you think I'll just let you throw your weight around and walk all over me, you've got another thing coming. I won't let myself be threatened by the likes of you." She brushed past him, walking toward the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me—"

A hand wrenched her injured arm backward, spinning her to face the bandit again. She let out a strangled cry as Souta gripped her other wrist, too, and her vision momentarily dimmed from the pain. "No, let _me_ get one thing straight." He bent forward, his nose almost touching hers. "This place is my home. These men? They're my brothers. I didn't let a demon come between me an' them, an' I'm definitely not about ta let some random wench do it, either.

"I'm on to you," he growled. "So let me give you a fair warning: If you do _anythin',_ an' I mean _anythin',_ ta cause my brothers ta come ta harm, us throwin' ya ta th' demons will be th' least of yer problems." He narrowed his eyes, a vicious smirk on his lips. "Or your son's."

Kameyo gritted her teeth and phased. Souta stumbled forward, passing harmlessly through her intangible body, and let out a hissed curse as she pulled the knife from the holster on her thigh and wrapped her arm around his neck, holding the glistening blade against his throat. It'd been so long since she'd come this far, and killing him, regardless of the circumstances, definitely wouldn't win her any favors with Chichiri or Tasuki. But she couldn't say she felt any hesitation, either.

Souta stiffened, pure hatred blazing in his eyes, but he didn't try to disarm her. She knew full well where his carotid arteries were, and apparently so did he.

"I don't owe you, or any other rotten man on this mountain, a godsdamned thing," she whispered against his skin. "So a fair warning to _you:_ Threaten me or my son ever again and I won't hesitate to shove this dagger down your worthless throat."

Souta closed his eyes and chuckled. "Dumb bitch. You did jus' what I thought ya would."

 _Are you a warrior?_ the phantom whispered in her mind. _Or a victim?_

 _A warrior_ , she'd shot back at the time, dodging his swing. _But only because I have no choice._

Kameyo's stomach dropped. She removed her hand from his neck and shoved him toward the door, her dagger aimed and at the ready.

"Get out," she seethed. "Get out and don't you dare come back."

Souta bowed, his arm sweeping out with an exaggerated flourish. "As ya wish, Kameyo- _sama_." He straightened and slowly walked toward the door. "It only took me five seconds ta get ya to reveal who ya really are," he called over his shoulder. "Wonder how long it'll take fer th' others ta see it, too?"

She waited, stiff and seething, until he had rounded the corner, out of sight. She sprang forward, slammed the door shut, and slid the deadbolt in place.

A wave of nausea rolled over her. She stumbled toward the bed, dropping the dagger on the way, and crawled under the rough-hewn quilt, pulling it up over her head. It smelled of straw, dust, and strangely, apricots.

Using her powers made her exhausted: Bad.

Being on this mountain was giving her vicious headaches: Worse.

The demon toxin in her body could be slowly killing her: Even worse. But worse still…

She was trapped in a building full of men who, likely, all wanted her dead.

 _This is why you should've been a godsdamn blacksmith, Takako._

But it wasn't his fault, and if she played her cards right, maybe he'd never have to know. She'd been through hell before—she could survive a week.

…Right?

Kameyo closed her eyes, wrapping a hand around her gemstone. For once, the strange warmth was a comfort rather than an omen. Even as pain throbbed through her body, she forced herself to remember simpler, happier times…of life living in Konan's capital four years ago, surrounded by savory smells, bustling crowds, and endless nights.

While her gemstone still pulsed its steady warning against her chest, she fell asleep restlessly dreaming of a beautiful, noble man with steely gray eyes.

XXXXXX

It was dark by the time Chichiri returned to the mountain. He dropped to his feet in the middle of the pitch-black forest, the swirling constellations above obscured by a hazy, reddish fog.

Immediately, he knew he'd arrived too late.

Claws had somehow gouged huge gashes into the rock face beside the cave shrine's opening, and large chunks of wood had been ripped out of the torii's pillars as well. Even in the dark, Chichiri could see that the exposed wood beneath the gleaming, red-painted surfaces was rotting; soon the demon toxin would cause the whole gate to crumble and fall. The ward he'd put up had helped, but just barely. If it hadn't been there at all, the torii might've just been obliterated.

The mountain barrier was still up, but Chichiri could feel it—that constant, electric hum had changed to a stammer, an aching, struggling rhythm that seemed to cry out to his mind, **_Help Me_** _._

His heart ached as he remembered his conversation with Taiitsukun. Something rustled in the bushes behind him, and his hand tightened around his staff.

"You might as well come out now," Chichiri called out. "I know you're out there."

He turned around as a hulking shape approached; the earth trembled slightly with each step it took. Chichiri gagged; the smell of rotting flesh assaulted his nose, followed by a stifling heat that dried his throat and tongue in an instant. He glanced around, and he was surrounded by wolves—the same type of yokai that had attacked early that morning.

But one—the hulking shape responsible for the smell—was much larger: almost five times the size of the rest, its neck and chest stained with the blood of the demons it had devoured. It stood even taller than Chichiri at five-foot-seven—its paws sunk slightly into the hard-packed mountain path and stones cracked beneath its paws, suggesting its immense weight.

Chichiri narrowed his eye. "You've been quite busy since this morning."

The demon grinned, a grotesque expression that drew attention to the gore still clinging to its fangs. "I am not one to waste time, _houshi_ - _sama_."

"Yet you haven't even tried to attack me, no da. That's what you've been waiting for, hasn't it? To get me alone?" Chichiri raised his shakujou. "I hope you don't think I'll be an easy target, no da."

"Not at all, houshi-sama. In fact, it's my great respect for your power that has brought me here, in this form. I wanted to impress you." It inclined its head and preened. "Do you like it?"

"I find it repulsive," Chichiri said. "But I think you knew that already."

The demon threw its head back and laughed—a harsh, grating sound that sounded like a hundred cruel, demonic voices merged into one.

"You have just returned from the Sacred Realm, have you not?" The demon asked. "Then surely Taiitsukun has told you everything you need to know about me. That's why you decided to meet me out here instead of teleporting directly into the barrier, correct?"

"Yes, she told me all about you…Fujin."

The wolf's glittering red eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?" it taunted. "Are you sure she told you _everything_?"

Chichiri frowned, sensing burgeoning hostility rising from the demon. "Of course."

It scoffed. "What makes _you_ , a mere mortal, think that the Divine Creator of an entire universe would ever deem you worthy of being her confidant?"

Chichiri shook his head. "I would _never_ be arrogant enough to think that."

The demon grinned again. "So…you agree that there is boundless knowledge well beyond your comprehension…and yet you take everything she tells you at face value."

"If Taiitsukun-sama has kept anything from me, I'm confident it's for a good reason."

The demon chuckled, pacing back and forth. "For your sake, I hope you are right. Otherwise, she might end up betraying you…" The wolf stopped walking and stared right into Chichiri's eye. "Just like she did to me."

Chichiri stiffened. "That's odd…I heard something quite different."

"I'm sure you did." The wolf cocked its head. "If I absorb enough sacred energy, I can infiltrate the shrine and destroy this mountain for good. Your friend Suzaku no Tasuki was already gracious enough to donate; would you like to be next?"

"Not a chance."

The wolf's eyes widened; it actually looked a bit sad. "Oh…that's too bad." It grinned. "But…I _do_ like it when they scream."

Growls surrounded him; and then, all at once, the wolves attacked.

Chichiri made a quick series of movements with his fingers and teleported just as the wolves reached his prior position. Now farther down the hill, he waved his shakujou and bursts of red light enveloped the wolves, singeing them with Suzaku's sacred light. But Fujin hadn't been fooled by his brisk movement and advanced on him now, their claws outstretched. Chichiri threw up a shield and grimaced as the demon's full weight slammed into it.

"You'd have more energy to fight me if you removed the barrier," Fujin taunted.

"You can fight me all you want, but I won't let you lay a hand on my friends!" Chichiri shouted. The electric hum of the mountain filled his ears.

 ** _Your Heart Is Pure…_** it whispered. **_But Can I Trust You?_**

 _Yes,_ Chichiri answered. _I know you're still weak from Tenkou's attack. But I will fight Fujin with you!_

He focused his ki into the shield and it became an arc of pure energy that blasted Fujin, sending them flying backward.

 ** _I Am Dying_** _,_ the mountain said, **_So I Will Hold You At Your Word. But Do Not Cross Me._**

Confused, Chichiri had no choice but to nod.

From deep underground, a loud _BOOM_ shook the earth. Chichiri threw his kasa into the air and, in his mind's eye, pictured the field in front of the stronghold.

XXXXXX

"Listen up, ya good fer nothin' bastards!" Tasuki shouted, banging a wooden spoon against a rusty, dented metal pot—Reikaku's makeshift version of a bell. "I got some news 'bout this whole demon thing."

The dinner crowd was much improved over the breakfast one—all fifty-some bandits had filled the dining hall, devouring the salted fish and rice that Gorou—and surprisingly, Takako, without any mishaps to speak of—had prepared. The noise was subdued, but jovial; unfortunately, Tasuki suspected that would change once he got started. He sighed. (He was doing that a lot lately, it seemed.)

"So what's th' deal?" Gorou said, bent over a large pot as he scrapped the clumps of rice from the bottom and plopped them in a bowl on the table. "That monk of yers got it covered, don't he?"

Tasuki glanced at Kouji, who glanced, in turn, at Anzu. His friend leaned down to whisper something in Anzu's ear, and she blushed, slapping a hand over her mouth to contain her giggling. Tasuki scowled at them both and rammed his arm, none too subtly, into Kouji's side. With a violent cough, Kouji straightened and adopted a sober expression. Tasuki grabbed their shoulders, shoved them apart, and wedged himself in the new space between them.

"Chiri is workin' on it," Tasuki announced. "In the meantime, let me catch ya up."

To his irritation, both Kouji and Anzu had also conceded that trying to keep fifty men sequestered in the long term was a horrible idea, which meant he couldn't really ignore the woman's—sorry, _Kameyo's_ —suggestion out of spite.

"The barrier is protectin' us from any supernatural woo-hoo," he said. "But we think we figured out why so many of ya got sick in th' first place."

"Oh yeah?" Kentaro called, stuffing a heaping helping of rice in his big mouth. "How's that?"

Tasuki grimaced. "The demon's poisonin' th' mountain," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Which, er…means that partakin' in Reikaku's lovely natural bounty is kinda…well…" Where the hell was Chichiri? Administering bad news diplomatically was _the monk's_ specialty, not his.

"It means," Kouji called out, "that every time ya shove some more of that rice in yer ugly maw, yer givin' that demon a nice lil' roost right in yer gut."

The sound of a spoon clattering to the table echoed in the large room.

Kentaro slammed his bowl to the table so hard that a chip broke off the bottom. He leaned forward, his hands planted on the table, and stared at Tasuki with an expression that was downright murderous.

"You. Have. _Got._ Ta be kiddin' me," he said through clenched teeth.

"What I'm sayin' is, _anythin'_ in the barrier, which means anythin' in the stronghold, is protected. Eatin' th' food ain't gonna kill ya as long as ya stay put." Tasuki planted his hands on his hips. "We know it only affects ya o'er a long period o' time. Which _means_ , we jus' gotta minimize our exposure as much as possible until we can kill th' demon once an' fer all.

"I ain't gonna lie, this ain't no idle threat. But yer leader 'ere happens ta have a pretty good track record wit demons, an' I'm damn sure I can handle this one." His gaze swept over the room. "So I'm gonna give ya a choice: Ya can sit 'round 'ere an' sulk like lil' girls, or ya can join me in battenin' down th' hatches an' makin' sure we do our part ta protect this mountain, jus' like you all pledged ta do when ya joined." He shrugged. "Up ta you."

Uncertain murmurs rose up from the tables.

"Ya got till 'Chiri comes back ta figure it out," Tasuki said. "No one leaves till then. We need ta have a good, solid plan 'bout how we're gonna tackle this, together, before someone ends up gettin' possessed again an' I gotta shove my foot right up his worthless ass."

"I dunno," someone shouted from the back of the room, "that kickin' ya gave ta _my_ ass seemed more like a love tap. Ya might be losin' yer touch, kashira."

Tasuki lifted his leg and planted his foot right on the nearest table, leaning forward on his knee to deliver a challenging stare. "What, ya want a redo? G'head, make my day." He grinned. "I'll even polish my soles fer ya."

Laughter and jeering filled the room. Huh, this was going better than he'd expected.

"Well, what if yer jus' full of it?"

Tasuki turned around. Souta was leaning against the door frame, his arms folded casually. Before he could respond, Souta continued. "What if ya have no clue how ta handle this properly, an' yer jus' doomin' all of us to die?"

"Now wait jus' a fuckin' minute!" Tasuki stormed over and jabbed his finger into Souta's chest. "Who th' fuck do ya—"

Souta slapped his hand away. "Two o' our men are already dead," he shouted, his voice booming. "How many more o' us have ta die 'fore ya realize ya don't got a single clue about what yer doin'?"

Tasuki held his tongue, but he knew the glare he shot Souta was ferocious.

 _There's no foolproof option,_ Kameyo's words echoed in his head _._ _ _You're not going to be able to save them all. More people are going to die.__

Tasuki pushed the voice away.

Souta actually _grinned. "_ Hakurou would be ashamed—" Tasuki's hands were shaking, so much did he want to wrap them around the man's throat. "—that someone so weak an' incompetent would get ta take his place. Hell, even _Eiken_ would've been a better fit. At least he had no delusions 'bout th' fact that he was only in it for himself."

Tasuki fisted his hands in Souta's shirt and lifted him clear off the ground. "Say another word," he whispered darkly. "Give me a reason."

Souta's face was blank, his eyes dark pools. "More people are gonna die, ya know." Louder, so that the whole room could hear him: " _Someone_ here is a traitor. An' lemme tell ya, there's a lot of evidence stackin' up against _someone_ , but it sure as hell ain't me."

Tasuki clenched his fist and reared back, but someone's hand closed over his.

"He's not worth it," Kouji said, glaring at Souta. After Tasuki dropped his arm, Kouji clapped his hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Let _me_ handle 'im, Genrou. You got bigger fish ta fry."

An ache built in Tasuki's throat, and he inhaled sharply, letting himself be calmed by his friend's words. This wasn't the time for a pissing match. "I already kicked yer ass once," Tasuki said, releasing Souta. The shorter man's feet hit the floor hard. "Don't make me hafta do it again."

"K-Kashira?"

Takako stood behind them, his light brown eyes wide in his pale face. "Ah…can I…" He wrung a dish towel in his hands. "Can I talk to you, for a second?" he squeaked. "Please?"

As much as Tasuki wanted to be annoyed, Takako was scared out of his mind. Tasuki leaned down in front of him. "What is it, kid?"

"I-I…have a bad feeling about this," he whispered. "You didn't say anything about the mountain being poisoned."

"That's 'cause I didn't know, kid." He clapped the boy on the shoulders, throwing him a reassuring grin. "An' look—I know a lot of this is scary fer ya, but me an' 'Chiri know what we're doin', all right? So stop lookin' like th' damn world is gonna end an' jus' trust me, godsdamnit. I'm not gonna let anythin' happen ta ya."

Takako's gaze dropped to the floor, his bottom lip jutting out. "I'm not scared." He worried his lip. "But, what if…Chichiri-sama doesn't come back?"

Tasuki's heart pounded. "Why _wouldn't_ he come back? Kid, I hate ta break it ta ya, but 'Chiri is—"

 _BOOM._

The earth quaked beneath them, sending several bandits—and the chairs they were sitting on—crashing to the ground. Takako pitched forward and let out a yelp; Tasuki swept the boy into his arms and braced his back against the wall. The sound of earthenware jugs shattering on the floor rose up from the kitchen.

For a long moment, the bandits stood—or lay—in disarray, staring in bewilderment at each other as tiny aftershocks vibrated under their feet. Tasuki rubbed his chest, willing his pounding heart to quiet.

"…What th' _fuck_ was that?!" he shouted.

 ** _BOOM._**

This time, he couldn't fight it—still holding Takako, he stumbled and hurtled sideways to the ground, his shoulder slamming into the floor. He let out a strangled curse as the glass lanterns stationed around the room shattered, sending shrapnel flying. From his spot on the floor, Kouji yanked one of the tapestries off the wall and threw it over them, shielding them as plates from a nearby table fell and exploded.

For fuck's sake, Takako was screaming bloody murder right in his damn ear and he needed to get up and investigate, but his legs still felt like fucking jelly.

Finally, the quaking stopped, and Tasuki tugged the tapestry off. The dining hall was destroyed—plates shattered, tables toppled, and the few lanterns remaining dim and teetering precariously in their sconces. His gaze landed on Anzu and his eyes widened; she was clutching her forearm, a long gash stretched over it covered in blood.

"I'm fine," she said shakingly, but Kouji was already racing over to her, ripping at his shirt to make a makeshift bandage. Tasuki glanced down at Takako, who was shaking and pale, but unhurt. He sighed in relief.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine too," the boy said. But it sounded like a question.

"GENROU!"

They turned around just as the dining hall door slammed open. Kameyo stood there, her eyes wide and her chest heaving. She'd removed the sling on her right arm and carried one of her broadswords in each hand. Already, he could see a smear of blood on her shoulder.

"We're all fine," Tasuki told her. "Jus' a lil' shaken—"

She shook her head rapidly. "You need…to get outside," she wheezed. "Chichiri—"

He was on his feet before she could finish, grabbing his tessen from his holster.

"Listen up, everyone!" he shouted, turning to face the room. "I need ya ta do _exactly_ what I say. _No_ debatin'." He glanced down at Takako, who nodded. "I want ya ta follow Kouji an' Anzu down ta th' cellar an' _stay_ there. Make sure there ain't anythin' hangin' up high that could fall if we get another quake. _Stay_ on th' ground, an' _stay_ quiet till I get ta th' bottom of this."

Anzu stepped forward. "But—"

"Anzu, this is _not_ th' time!" he snapped. "Jus' this once, I need ya ta do what I say _,_ all right?"

She furrowed her eyebrows, but nodded. "All right," she whispered. "Be careful."

Tasuki managed a small grin. "Ain't I always?" He turned to Kameyo, whose eyes were large and pupils dilated as she stared blankly toward the back of the room. "Kameyo—"

"Takako," she said, turning to her son with the same blank stare. "Give me your necklace."

Takako flinched. "W-Wha? Why?"

"Just do it!" she blurted, her voice frantic. She closed her eyes and breathed out a sigh. "Please." She reached out her palm.

Takako glanced down at the floor, his eyes glistening with tears as he reached up, unclasped the necklace, and deposited it in her hand, right on top of her sword's hilt. She leaned the niuweidao against the wall while she put it on.

"Thank you," she murmured as she dropped her arms. The twin pair of gemstones flared brightly against her pale throat.

"W-Wait a damn minute," Tasuki said, raising his hand. "There's no way yer goin' out there."

"You're not my kashira," she said, grasping her swords again. "I don't answer to you."

He opened his mouth to argue, but the steely gaze she threw him ended the argument before it'd even begun. She was terrified; he could see that clearly, in the way she kept clenching and unclenching her hands to hide how hard they were shaking. But she didn't care. For her son, she would do anything—even risk her life.

And there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop her.

"Come on," he grunted, jerking his chin toward the door. "Let's go."


	8. Breaking Point

**Author's Note:** The switch from "it" to "them" when referring to Fujin is intentional. Once the protagonists identify and begin referring to Fujin by name, "they/them" pronouns become the default; other pronouns may be used when the context requires the focus to be placed on the person/entity Fujin is possessing (he, it).

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: Breaking Point**

Tasuki raced through the labyrinthine stronghold toward the front entrance, his tessen wielded like a club. Kameyo more or less kept pace with him, but her movements were clumsy, and before long she had tripped, though she kept jogging as if she hadn't even noticed.

Tasuki screeched to a halt. "Stop. Hey—" He grabbed her by her good arm. "Ya need ta _stop_. Yer gonna get yer damn self killed out there!"

"I'm fine," she gritted out. Her forehead was shiny with sweat.

"Ya jus' gave me th' third degree earlier today 'bout bein' reckless an' endangerin' yer son," he snapped. "What th' fuck is he gonna do if ya get yerself killed, _huh_?"

She slowly shook her head. "You said the demon was weak against his— _my_ —energy. …You're going to need it." She leaned over, planting her hands on her knees as she gasped. "You're going to need…all the help…you can get. I can't…let that demon…breach the stronghold."

Tasuki cursed under his breath. "Look, ya fuckin' crazy, reckless—"

" _You_ feel it too, don't you?" she murmured, straightening. "The mountain is getting weaker. If that demon kills it…we're _all_ dead, anyway."

He grimaced; he _really_ didn't even want to think about that being a possibility. "Yeah, but—"

" _Trust_ me, I'm not interested in dying, and I sure as hell do _not_ want to be risking my life." She scoffed and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Last I saw, Chichiri-sama was fighting that demon right outside the barrier." She narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. " _You_ can go find him, and I'll stay on the fringes to provide back up as necessary. Okay?"

Tasuki stared at her in disbelief, his mouth hanging open. "Okay…wait, _what_? Ya made this big deal like ya were goin' off ta war, an' ya never planned ta fight in th' first damn place?"

She rolled her eyes. "You just said it yourself that I'm not fit for fighting close range; I'm not an idiot." She started jogging. "Come on, you're wasting ti—"

 ** _BOOM._**

Kameyo let out a squawk and stumbled backward right into Tasuki. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held his ground as he waited for the aftershocks to recede. She hissed, clutching her head as he felt her body tense with what had to be overwhelming pain. "Dai…chi…?" Her head fell back against his shoulder, her blank gaze directed at the ceiling. "What…who…?"

A jolt shot up Tasuki's spine. _Shit,_ he thought, his heart in his throat.

Chichiri was in trouble.

He grabbed Kameyo's hand and pulled her toward the entrance. "Come on!"

xxxxxx

Tasuki's hand trembled as he wrenched open the door. It groaned ominously as they stepped out into the dark night. Immediately, his gaze lifted to the sky and the red shimmering barrier that covered the stronghold in a dome. He blew out a breath in relief. If Chichiri were dead or close to death, there was no way the barrier would still be there.

 _Beyond_ the barrier, though, the sky was covered by a deep-red fog that blocked all but the brightest stars from sight. Tasuki coughed as he raced toward the forest—the air was hot and acrid, as if they were trapped in the aftermath of a vicious blaze.

"Chichiri!" he yelled. Kameyo trailed behind him, her steps soft and hesitant. " _Chichiri_!"

He heard another loud _BOOM_ , though this one felt like a mere quiver beneath his feet. The quakes were getting weaker; whether that was good or bad, he couldn't say.

Kameyo gripped his arm from behind, her nails digging into his skin. "Genrou," she hissed. "W-What…what is _that_?"

Tasuki followed her gaze and squinted in the darkness. In the dim starlight, he saw an immense shadow zoom past, weaving in and out of the thick trees, followed by a bright flash of Suzaku's holy red light.

"Fuck," he muttered, breaking into a run. "Stay here!" he shouted over his shoulder. "An' don't do anythin' stupid!"

Tasuki's kanji flashed brightly on his arm, and in seconds, he was pushing through the barrier, his body energized by the sacred light of Suzaku filling his blood, his heart, his mind. He skidded to a stop in the field right outside the barrier's protection; the ground had been torn asunder, with large, gaping holes that reached deep into the earth. Small bushes and even a few trees lay on their sides, roots grasping fruitlessly at the air.

A loud, monstrous roar echoed beneath the treetops, and Tasuki raced toward the sound. The hulking shape of a four-legged creature had just entered his line of vision through the thicket when something barreled into his side. He let out a strangled grunt as he slammed to the ground and rolled. He saw a flash of brown fur, and then razor-sharp fangs sank into his thigh.

 _"_ _FUCK!"_ He rammed his elbow repeatedly into the wolf's muzzle. It snarled and shook its head, ripping through muscle and ensnaring Tasuki even more agonizingly in its grip. He reached for the short sword on his back and lashed out with it, impaling the wolf in the neck. It let out a yelp, and its jaws loosened just enough for Tasuki to kick it off him and roll to his feet. He raised his tessen.

"REKKA…SHIN'NEN!"

The flames roared as they engulfed the demon, disintegrating it to ashes. As the crackling fire died down, low growls began resonating from the surrounding undergrowth; Tasuki didn't take any chances.

" _REKKA SHIN'NEN_!"

Vicious flames shout out in all directions, but he didn't have time to make sure all the hellspawn were dead; he concentrated, and with another burst of speed, jumped a fallen tree trunk and headed for the larger demon that Chichiri was fighting. Within moments its silhouette rose in front of him—at least twice as big as the average horse, with rigid shards of bone trailing down its spine from the top of its head to its spiked, blackened tail.

Tasuki's tessen glowed red-hot. "REKKA SAIRYŪJIN!"

The demon's ear flicked, and then its head turned, its fangs bared just before a spiral of bluish white flames surrounded it.

"Chichiri!" Tasuki shouted again, veering past the flames toward the last place he'd seen Suzaku's light flare. He passed broken limbs, trees ripped right from the ground—even trees snapped cleanly in half. And lying on the ground, his head lolled back against one of the trunks, was Chichiri. His hand was pressed to a blossoming bloodstain on his shirt, his shakujou abandoned a few feet away.

Tasuki knelt down. "'Chiri!" The monk groaned, squinting up at him through a trickle of blood pouring from a cut on his forehead. "Are ya all right?"

"I've…been better." Chichiri chuckled without humor as Tasuki helped him to his feet. "Thank you…no da."

"What th' fuck is goin' on, 'Chiri?"

Chichiri just shook his head. "We have to…stop that demon before they…destroy the cave shrine, no da." He leaned into his staff. "They're already stronger…than they were this morning."

"Fuck," Tasuki hissed. "An' what th' fuck was all that quakin'?"

"The mountain," Chichiri murmured. "It's trying to help us."

"Th' fuck it is!" Tasuki snapped. "It almost killed everyone in th' stronghold!"

Booming footsteps sounded behind them, followed by a raspy, bone-chilling laugh.

"What a lovely reunion," the demon purred. Smoke curled around its body; much of its fur had been singed clean off, revealing the shiny black, leathery skin underneath. "Too bad it's destined to end in tragedy."

Tasuki stepped in front of Chichiri, brandishing his tessen. "Fer _you_ , maybe."

The demon simply grinned.

"Fujin," Chichiri said, wiping the blood from his face. "You're nowhere as strong as Tenkou was. You'll never get what you want."

Tasuki's eyes widened; just the sound of that name made goosebumps rise on his arms. "What the hell does _Tenkou_ have ta do with this? He's dead, ain't he?"

Fujin jerked their head. "I no longer desire what that fool did. I have found a much greater objective to pursue—my own." A macabre grin split their lips. "And as you will be happy to know, houshi-sama…I have plans for you, as well." They took another step forward, the entire clearing trembling under their weight. "That purity won't protect you forever," they whispered. "In fact, I can already see it dimming—I'll snuff its last wisps out like a candle."

"Enough jabberin'!" Tasuki shouted, raising his fan. "Rekka—"

"—Tasuki, watch out!"

A deep burgundy light glowed around the creature. Tasuki covered his nose as acrid, searing smoke filled the air. Black liquid began to ooze from the demon's body, coalescing into bubbling puddles at their feet. Tasuki jumped back as the pools seeped toward him; they writhed and frothed almost as if they had a mind of their own.

"Be careful, Tasuki!" Chichiri said with a groan. "That liquid will likely do a lot worse than the bites."

"You are mine," Fujin whispered. "Forever." Their eyes flared bright red.

A sharp pain exploded in Tasuki's thigh. He hissed and stumbled backward, pressing a hand to the deep bite marks dripping blood all the way down his leg. Beside him, Chichiri groaned and sagged against his staff. The wound on his stomach, Tasuki remembered—so Chichiri had been poisoned, too.

"Who shall I take first?" Fujin whispered, advancing on them while licking their lips. "Who shall I—"

 _"—_ _Senpuu!"_ A deep female voice carried on a howling wind.

Bright waves of violet light shot through the air. Fujin jumped to the side, belying their large size, but let out a hiss as the gusts followed and encased them in a vicious whirlwind. Leaves and twigs whipped around it, clouds of dust and dirt swirling in pockets beyond it all that stung Tasuki's eyes. Fujin let out a snarl, and then the loud sound of the earth quaking and splintering joined the cacophony. Tasuki felt Chichiri grab his arm and yank him farther away from the vortex just as the deafening crackle of the tremors began to quiet.

When the windstorm stopped, Tasuki opened his eyes. Fujin's front right leg had been trapped in a small fissure with a short column of jagged rocks encircling it up to the forearm.

"Daichi!" Fujin snarled. "I will destroy you."

"Daichi?" Kameyo said from behind the wolf. "Who _is_ that?"

Though the vortex had dissipated, Kameyo's hair whipped around her face as her eyes glowed from within. She gripped both broadswords easily, but rushing after him hadn't been a smooth trip; a long, thin cut curved down her chin and plunged into her shirt, likely from where she'd just barely escaped being sliced alive by one of those demon wolves. The light from her necklaces surrounded her in a shimmering aura.

"Kameyo!" Tasuki shouted. "What th' fuck are ya doin'?"

"Backing you up as necessary," she said flatly. "I'll distract that thing— _you_ just make sure you get your act together before it kills me!"

Fujin turned to glare at her from over their shoulder, fangs bared. " _You."_

Kameyo paled, but then she bared her teeth, too. "T-That's right; I heard you don't like my little windstorms, do you?" She raised her left arm, twirling her sword with a theatrical–and completely unconvincing—flourish. "Well then, let me give you some more!" The purple light around her flared brighter still. " _Senpuu_!"

Tasuki cried out as another, larger cyclone grew around the demon. He and Chichiri flung themselves behind a tree as more debris—holy fuck, that one had been a _boulder_ —swirled in the air.

"First th' damn mountain, now _this_?" Tasuki yelled hoarsely. "What kinda help do these idiots think they're givin'?!"

"Tasuki, your tessen!" Chichiri shouted back. "Now's the time!"

A sharp rock zipped by Tasuki's ear, slicing a clean cut into his cheek. "Fuck!" Holding his tessen as tightly as he could, he leaned over the trunk and began to chant.

"REKKA…" His voice cracked; the wind seemed to be sucking the air right from his lungs. "S- _SHIN'NEN_!" The moment the words were out his mouth, Chichiri yanked him backward and erected a small barrier over the two of them.

Energized by the howling cyclone—an ample food source—the flames exploded.

He felt like he was in hell; even through the barrier, the vicious heat evaporated all the saliva in his mouth. He smelt the trees burning, disintegrating, all around him, and the smell of hair and flesh being consumed by the violent blaze. Over it all, there was the wailing, anguished cry of Fujin; the trembling of the ground as the demon struggled to free themselves; the clouds of smoke enveloping the field as everything was reduced to ashes and dust.

 _Holy shit!_

The two warriors waited for the world to quiet, the sound of their heavy breathing accentuated by the enclosed space.

"I'm going to let the barrier down," Chichiri murmured after a few seconds. The field was still obscured by smoke. "I have to. Be on your guard."

Tasuki gripped his tessen with both hands and nodded. "Right."

The barrier dissolved, and Tasuki covered his face with his arm, his eyes beginning to water.

Chichiri flicked his hand and the smoke dissipated. The flames had reduced all the grass and greenery within a wide circumference to charcoal dust; on the outskirts of the circle, tree trunks bore large soot marks and singed branches. But there was no sign of Fujin…or Kameyo.

"Fuck!" Tasuki shouted, eyes wide. "Kameyo!"

He crept toward the scarred earth, glancing around for signs of life. "Kameyo!" He rubbed his hand over his face, his heart racing. Fuck, if she died… "Kameyo!"

"I'm right here," she said smoothly. Tasuki jerked and whipped his head around. No one was there.

A bright purple light pulsed until she flickered into existence a few feet to his left. His gaze moved quickly over her body; not a hair out of place. "What th'—how th' hell did ya do that?"

"Not now," Chichiri said, his voice stern. "We're not alone."

Tasuki glanced up. Piercing yellow eyes stared out at them from the forest.

Kameyo gasped. "Shit, there has to be hundreds of them. You two will be fighting forever."

" _Us?"_ Tasuki said. "What do ya mean, u—"

Another sharp pain stabbed him in the leg. Tasuki let out a cry almost at the same moment Chichiri and Kameyo did, each clutching their respective injuries. The broadsword fell from Kameyo's right hand and she sagged forward. She drove her remaining sword into the dirt and leaned heavily on the hilt.

"Fuckin' hell," Tasuki groaned. "I feel like my leg's 'bout ta fall off."

"You know the best part of being a lowly specter, Suzaku seishi?" Fujin said. Their voice seemed to come from every direction at once. "It's quite easy to survive damage to your body."

A small hole opened up in the scorched circle, oozing more shiny black, writhing liquid. The three warriors backed away, their gazes constantly flicking from the pool to the bloodthirsty demons that had surrounded them.

"So if that demon can survive us destroying its body," Kameyo whispered, "how do we kill it?"

Tasuki snorted. That's what _he_ wanted to know.

"According to Taiitsukun-sama, hitting them with sacred energy while they're in their incorporeal form should work," Chichiri said.

"All right," Tasuki said, nodding. "But, uh…how do ya kill somethin' ya can't touch?"

Chichiri glanced over at Kameyo and held her gaze. She wrinkled her nose. "What?"

" _You_ can make yourself intangible, no da," he said. "That means you should be able to strike the demon from that form."

She blanched. " _What_? I'm only here for backup; I never said—"

"Well tough shit!" Tasuki snapped. "If me an' 'Chiri die, ya can't get back inta th' stronghold anyway! So ya better toughen up, 'cause both yer life and yer kid's depends on it!"

Kameyo's eyes widened, and then she gritted her teeth. "Fuck." She wrenched the tip of her sword from the dirt. "This is what I get for having a conscience."

Fujin laughed. The pool of liquid began to creep toward the three warriors, pushing them to the edge of the clearing…right within reach of the demons.

"W-What happens if we touch that stuff?" Kameyo asked.

"I don't know," Chichiri said. "Let's hope we don't have to find out." He nodded at her. "We'll take care of the wolves. When the coast is clear, I'll give you the signal, no da."

Kameyo held her hands up, shaking her head. "C-Chichiri-sama…you should know…" Her voice had taken on a high-pitched, frantic tone. "M-My powers…I can't—"

She suddenly let out a scream and doubled over, clutching her shoulder.

"Tasuki," Chichiri said with a groan, his eye squeezing shut as he pressed a hand to his midsection. "Focus…your fire on the smaller ones. The fewer we have to deal with, the better."

"Who shall I take?" Fujin whispered, their voice bouncing off the trees. "Who shall I devour?

"Houshi-sama," they cried. "All that power is _exactly_ what I require."

The pool of liquid reared up, creating a wave at least twenty feet high, and shot straight for them.

Tasuki swung his fan. "Rekka…SHIN'NEN!"

A wall of fire burst in front of them, and the wave hit it full force. The liquid sizzled and crackled against the flames, but then split off into two directions. The diverging waves plopped into sloppy puddles nearby before they reared up and shot toward Tasuki again. He cursed just as Chichiri flung his hand forward, erecting a small shield that the liquid bounced harmlessly off of.

A guttural groan sounded behind them. Kameyo whirled and swung her sword, sending large arcs of energy that cleaved through the attacking demons.

 _How th' hell do we know which one is Fujin?_ Tasuki asked Chichiri telepathically.

 ** _If I have enough time to concentrate, I can single them out. But the poison is draining me._**

 _Shit, me too!_ Tasuki let out another resounding cry of "Rekka Shin'nen," obliterating a group of demons approaching from the side. _An' Kameyo still ain't healed from that bite yesterday. Abandon ship?_

 ** _We can't_** _,_ Chichiri answered. _I_ _ **f we do, Mt. Reikaku doesn't stand a chance.**_

That settled it. "REKKA SAIRYŪJIN!"

Tasuki focused his ki, creating intense, precise flames that devoured the target and then quickly extinguished themselves. They couldn't afford to have any loss of visibility or clean air right now. His thigh throbbed as he ducked another stream of black liquid, and then it began to tremble beneath him as a wolf's claws clashed against the tessen and he strained to push it back.

"Senpuu!"

Another large cyclone burst into life to the right of him, and he watched as several demons were swept up and thrown violently about inside. Fuck, he still had no idea who this woman was or how she did it, but those powers of hers were sure coming in handy.

Kameyo jerked and her head bowed forward before she dropped her sword again and clutched her head. Even in the dim light, he could see that her skin was pallid, pain carving deep furrows in her forehead. A snake-like demon slithered up to her from behind, its fangs glistening with blood and saliva.

He aimed for it. "Rekka Shin'nen!"

The flames devoured the demon with a loud roar. Its ashes immediately took to the air and were sucked into the cyclone.

Tasuki jogged over to Kameyo and positioned himself so they were standing back to back. "Stay next ta me," he called out. "I'll watch yer back if you watch mine."

He felt her nod. "I…I'll try to hang on…a little longer."

 _What?_ Tasuki glanced at her over his shoulder. Just from looking at her profile, he could tell she was close to her limit. "Fuck," he hissed. "I thought I said _don't_ die!"

A humorless chuckle trickled from her lips. "I…don't plan to." She clutched one of the gems hanging from her neck. "When I run out of juice…you'll have to be on your own."

"Thanks fer th' warnin'," he muttered, swinging his tessen again. "Rekka Shin'nen!"

But for every wave of demons that was devoured by his flames, another came to take its place. And that damned liquid was still zipping around, forcing him and Kameyo apart and back together again time after time. Reduced to only one sword and one healthy arm, Kameyo still swung her blade with timed precision and grace—the practiced moves of someone who'd been pushed to the brink countless times in the past. Every so often she would flinch or clutch her head, and then Tasuki would use a burst of speed and dart over to her, offering backup until she could recover.

Chichiri was nowhere in sight.

"Something's not right," Kameyo said in between pants. A lull had formed as the demons' numbers began to dwindle.

"Of course it ain't! We're surrounded by demons."

Kameyo threw him a look. "But Fujin's nowhere to be found."

Tasuki whipped his head toward the scorched circle. And now that he thought of it…where had that liquid stuff gone?

A hoarse scream reverberated through the forest, and then another jolt shot up Tasuki's spine. _Pain._ Pure pain. _"Chichiri!"_

They raced toward the voice, though Kameyo fell behind almost instantly, unable to keep up with his seishi speed. Tasuki followed the trail of broken tree limbs and—a cry of despair escaped him— _blood_ until the foliage began to fan out and he was standing in front of Reikaku's cave shrine again. Fujin, in a new albeit slightly smaller wolf form, crouched over something lying on the ground. Chichiri's shakujou had been tossed carelessly into a nearby bush, its rings glinting in the soft light of a waning moon.

 _"Chichiri!"_

Fujin's ears twitched at the sound of Tasuki's voice, and then they turned their head. Chichiri lay on his side, eye closed, his body engulfed up to his chest in the black liquid.

As Tasuki ran, fire burned in his veins, originating from the bite on his leg. He let out a scream and crashed to his knees, his body wracked with convulsions. He bit his tongue and tasted blood. Fujin's laugh echoed in his brain.

"Souls are so precious," Fujin hissed, looking at Tasuki with a grin. Then they glanced down at Chichiri. "And yet, so fragile." They raised their paw, allowing a single claw to trail down Chichiri's chest. A large tear formed in his shirt. "Even a saint can become a sinner, with the right push." Fujin laughed again. "Or maybe a saint is only a sinner who deludes himself into thinking he has risen above his _true_ nature." They leaned down, flashing their dripping fangs right above Chichiri's neck. "Which do you think Taiitsukun _-sama_ would believe?"

"Get th' fuck away from him!" Tasuki shouted. But his voice was too high, too fearful—it lacked the authority he needed to save them from this chaos. Fujin's eyes glowed as they turned and smiled at him.

"Where is Suzaku or Daichi now, seishi-sama?" they said. "Where is Taiitsukun- _sama_?"

A soft cry rose up behind him. Kameyo was sprawled out on the ground, clawing at her chest. Deeper in the forest, in the direction they'd come, the demons were gathering again, anxious to tear into their prone forms. But something kept them at bay.

"Fuck," Tasuki groaned, straining to lift his arm. "R-Rekka…"

Fujin's paw glowed red, and then they plunged it into Chichiri's chest.

The scream Chichiri had made before was nothing compared to this. It was the sound of torture—of a pain so deep and all-encompassing that the death that was sure to follow would be nothing short of a blessing.

"CHICHIRI!" Tasuki roared. His kanji burst to life on his arm as he forced himself to his feet. "REKKA SHIN'NEN!"

The wall of fire smashed into Fujin, who barely noticed. Their body was shimmering bright, strengthened by the energy they were draining from Chichiri's body.

"SHINPŪ!"

Another cyclone swirled into existence, but something was different—it glistened with the light of thousands of tiny sparkling drops and spun slowly, creating a cool breeze that smelled of dew and fresh grass. Tasuki gulped the fresh air greedily, and the burn in his lungs slowly began to fade, clearing his muddled mind. Standing in the center of the cyclone, her blade brandished in front of her, was Kameyo.

Fujin lifted their paw from Chichiri's chest and turned away from him, staring at the cyclone. The man jerked and gasped aloud before stilling again. They snarled. "It can't be."

Tasuki glanced between the demon and Kameyo. Her shoulders were tense, and her breath labored. But she held her ground.

Fujin lumbered toward her. "I didn't recognize that signature before…" they murmured, eyes glinting. "It was too weak…but now…!" The wolf chuckled. "You devious wretch."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Kameyo said, taking a small step back. "But I-I'm not going to let you kill him."

Tasuki raced to her side. Her wind ruffled his hair, but left him otherwise unharmed. "That makes two of us!" he shouted to Fujin.

"Meihou," Fujin said, staring at Kameyo. "So we meet again."

 _Meihou?_ He glanced at her with the question in his eyes, but she looked just as confused as he felt.

"This is too perfect," the wolf said with a laugh. "After all these years…my revenge is within reach." They glanced down at the necklaces nestled in between her breasts, which blazed a shade of violet so bright it was blinding. They chuckled again. "No wonder. That impetuous fool sealed your powers, didn't he?" They crept closer, their ears folded back against their massive head as they bared their rotten, blood-spattered teeth. "Please, allow me to assist you with that."

An electric hum filled his ears.

 ** _Genrou._** Tasuki stiffened; who was that? **_Your Sacred Fire—Use It._** The voice was distinctively masculine, with calm authority layered over a smooth baritone, but he didn't recognize it. ** _Now._**

"Kameyo," he murmured. "Ya got enough juice o' yers fer one more attack?"

She nodded. "Whatever you're planning better not be reckless and stupid."

Tasuki smirked. "Heh. As if there's any other way I'd do it."

The black pool retreated from Chichiri's body, slithering toward Tasuki and Kameyo.

"I'm taking back what is rightfully mine," Fujin said, crouching in preparation to pounce. " _All_ of it."

 ** _Genrou_** , the voice commanded.

"Why are you just standing there?" Kameyo snapped, her eyes trained on the advancing wave.

"Wait fer my signal," Tasuki whispered. "I know ya think I'm a shitty leader an' all, but jus' this once, I need ya ta trust me."

Her eyes met his, and indecision and fear flashed across her features. But then she nodded. "Pull this off," she said, "and you'll have earned my trust, and then some."

He didn't have time to wonder why that made him happy. The wave shot toward them, with most of its large, dripping tendrils arching straight toward Kameyo.

"REKKA SAI—!" Tasuki choked. His free hand darted to his throat, where he could feel his vocal cords working. But suddenly he couldn't speak.

Kameyo's eyes widened as the wave came within feet of her. Her body glowed violet, and then it faded until she was transparent. The wave passed right through her and smashed against the rocky ground. She raised her sword. "SHINPŪ!"

The vortex swirled, slowly picking up speed, until a bright red light surrounded it. The wind died down, and the vortex disappeared.

" _What_?" she squawked, staring down in disbelief at her necklaces. "What the—"

Crackling hot energy whammed into Tasuki from behind. His tessen flew from his fingers, and he crashed to the ground. He faintly heard Kameyo cry out as well, and then she collapsed, the back of her shirt ripped to shreds by the energy blast.

Fujin chuckled. "Even a saint can become a sinner. But, then again…perhaps they were never truly a saint, at all."

Tasuki gritted his teeth, his eyes searching the field for his tessen…but something else quickly arrested his attention.

Chichiri stood in front of them, a hand clamped over his face as he grimaced in pain. "Tasu…ki…" he moaned out. "R-Run…" His opposite hand was trembling, held out toward them, and his palm was still glowing with the traces of his ki he'd just attacked them with.

Kameyo's body went slack as a faint gasp left her, followed by a tiny, "Oh shit."

Tasuki couldn't have said it any better himself.

XXXXXX

She'd only known him for less than a day, but Kameyo had already concluded that Chichiri was extremely wise and extremely powerful.

Which meant they were _definitely_ going to die.

"What's your plan now, hotshot?" she snapped at Tasuki. Tremors wracked Chichiri's body—he was fighting Fujin's influence, but obviously he was reaching his limit. The energy glowing around his body pulsed in alternating shades of bright red and dark burgundy. He flinched, then let out a long, pained moan.

Tasuki gritted his teeth, struggling to his feet. "I'll let ya know when I think of one," he growled. "Chichiri!" he shouted. "I know yer still in there. Jus' do what ya can—I'll figure somethin' out!"

"H-Hurry…up…please," the monk hissed through gritted teeth.

Fujin laughed. "Meihou." They advanced toward her again, each step causing the ground to shake. "I never got to properly repay you for destroying my body." They reared their head, the noxious burgundy smoke rising in the air around them. "I promise to make it as slow and agonizing as possible."

The gemstones sizzled against her neck. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm not Meihou!"

Tasuki crouched low, eying the diamond fan that had skittered across the grass just out of his reach. Chichiri stood between it and him; the monk's ki flared burgundy again, and he scowled as he lifted his fingers to his mouth, prepared to cast a spell at the slightest provocation.

Kameyo closed her eyes, concentrating on the waves of energy that coursed through her body and her amplifying gemstones. She had barely tapped into the energy stored in Takako's necklace…good thing, too, because she was going to need all of her reserves to survive this fight. It still might not be enough.

 _"_ _Are you a victim?"_ the ever-present phantom whispered in her head. _"Or a warrior?"_

The four of them were quiet, and still. The muscles in Tasuki's back tightened, his shoulders stiffening. Chichiri's mouth began to move, soft, coerced words flowing from his lips like choppy water. Fujin stared at Kameyo, their head cocked to one side, ear twitching. Their penetrating gaze raked up and down her body, searching for something—some tiny glimpse of this Meihou person they seemed to think she was. Eventually they must've come up empty, because the suspicion on their deformed face soon gave way to repulsion and fury.

"Worthless _wretch_ ," they snarled. "All of that divine power…given up to a mortal?"

Kameyo glanced to the left, her gaze meeting Tasuki's. _I'm counting on you_ , she tried to tell him with her eyes. _I'll have to give every last drop I've got._

Tasuki jerked his chin, his eyes narrowing. He seemed to understand.

The black bile slithered toward Fujin and climbed up their legs. The demon inhaled, and the liquid seeped into their spine and disappeared.

"If you want to kill me," she hissed, "you'll have to catch me first."

Kameyo opened the floodgates of her stored power. Wind whistled in her ears as she raised her sword, and violet light enveloped the weapon, making the blade gleam with ethereal power.

Fujin snarled, tensed their body, and pounced.

Kameyo swung her sword. "SHINPŪ!"

A violet vortex swept around her, obscuring the approaching demon from her view. Ice water poured over her body, signaling the beginning of her phasing. She flicked her fingers and she and the vortex disappeared from sight as she sprang up into the air. Down below, Tasuki barrel rolled to dodge a ki blast from Chichiri, his hand stretched out for the fan lying in the grass near his feet. Chichiri threw another blast, and Tasuki cursed as he flung himself to the left to avoid it, clear in the opposite direction of his tessen.

Kameyo flicked her fingers and a mini whirlwind formed around the diamond fan, sucking it high up into the air. She snatched it in her right hand while she continued swinging her blade viciously with her left. Arcs of energy soared toward Fujin and sliced deep cuts into their body as she drifted back toward the ground.

"HEY!" Tasuki shouted, dodging Chichiri's swinging staff. He flailed his arm frantically in her direction, though he never took his eyes off his friend. "Any day, now!"

"Your tessen's no use if Chichiri won't let you say the incantation!" Fujin swiped their massive paw at her—it sailed through her without a hitch. Kameyo's blade glimmered before she swung it again; the energy hit the demon in the face this time. Fujin threw back their head and roared.

"Let _me_ worry 'bout that!" Tasuki shouted. "Yer gonna need yer hand free, anyway!"

Kameyo grunted. She flung the weapon into the air again, and another mini whirlwind carried it down to Tasuki. He sprang up and snatched it in midair.

The hairs on her neck rose just in time for Kameyo to spin on her heel and stab Fujin in the chest, halting their sneak attack. She twisted the blade, then used her foot as leverage to yank it free. Bile spurted across the ground. Fujin snapped their jaws at her, but they still hadn't figured out how to overcome her intangibility.

"'Chiri!" Tasuki yelled. "Snap th' hell out of it!"

Kameyo turned her head. Tasuki's tessen clashed against Chichiri's staff, the two men in a stalemate. The monk's ki still flickered randomly between light and dark, but the burgundy hue was becoming more frequent. She'd bet that the longer he stayed like that, the harder it would be to free him from Fujin's grasp.

But how did you free someone from a demonic possession…without killing them?

"Tasuki!" Kameyo shouted. " _Move_!"

He glanced over his shoulder just as she raised her sword; he let out a string of curses and then scrambled away.

"SHINPŪ!"

The shimmering vortex encased Chichiri. She closed her eyes and willed the violent winds to calm, creating a barrier that otherwise left the man unharmed. Pain exploded in her forehead, and her shoulder burned as the toxin slithered through her bloodstream. Red light pulsed from within the whirlwind; Kameyo gritted her teeth and concentrated harder. Behind her, she heard Tasuki's deep voice chanting, and then: "REKKA SAIRYŪJIN!"

Stifling heat licked over her neck and back, followed by Fujin's shrieks of pain; she forced the sensations away and focused on maintaining the whirlwind and keeping herself intangible. Her arms began trembling, sweat pouring down her forehead and coating her back.

 ** _Kameyo._** She flinched, startled by the deep, whisper-soft voice that had intruded her mind. **_You Must Free Him._**

 _What the hell_ was _this?_ Didn't she have enough problems right now without random people getting inside her head?!

The red glow within the vortex flared and burst outward, creating a shockwave that knocked Kameyo off her feet. She cried out, her back slamming hard into the ground. She clutched her shoulder and writhed—the pain took her breath away…and her concentration. The ice-cold veil around her evaporated, leaving her woefully solid and exposed.

The smell of burnt flesh assailed her noise as a long shadow fell over her body. She glanced up, and Fujin was there, their toxic blood dripping from a massive open wound in their side. The flesh had been disintegrated by scorching heat, revealing a macabre blend of muscle and bone smeared with black tar.

"You have such a trifling amount to offer me," they muttered. "But I will still take it." They raised their paw, which glowed burgundy as the demon gathered energy into it.

On the edge of her vision, she saw Chichiri stalk toward Tasuki again. Blood poured from a gash in Tasuki's side. "Come on, 'Chiri," he moaned, clenching his tessen so hard his hands were trembling from the strain. "Wake th' fuck up!" Chichiri cocked his head; he seemed to have heard him, but he continued his approach nonetheless.

"T-Tasuki…" Chichiri said, his teeth bared as he grimaced in pain. "Just…do it."

Tasuki paled, shaking his head. "No! I'm not givin' up on ya! Jus' like _you_ never gave up on me!"

Kameyo mentally fumbled for the flow of energy that would shield her from Fujin's attack, but another burst of pain in her head left her breathless, scattering her intentions to the wind. Her head flopped back against the grass as she stared helplessly up at the demon—Fujin was leaning so closely she could smell the rancid flesh and feel the overbearing heat of their breath. She started trembling, tears building in her eyes. _Oh gods, I don't want to die._

 ** _Then Fight!_** the voice in her head commanded. **_Stop Denying Who You Are!_**

 _"_ _Are you a victim?" Kameyo flinched as her hand slipped and a long, thin cut appeared on her palm_. _"Or a warrior?"_

Kameyo snarled. She sure as hell didn't need flashbacks right now, either. _Fuck off, both of you!_

"Fuck!" Tasuki shouted from somewhere off behind her. "Kameyo!"

Her gemstones pulsed, attracting Fujin's blood-red eyes. They grinned. "Goodbye."

She saw a flash of red in the corner of her eye right before Fujin plunged their claws into her chest.

The toxin was child's play compared to this. Kameyo couldn't even hear herself screaming. All she knew, all she heard, was the _pain._ It reached deep down, into the very center of her, and carved gorges in which it settled in to bubble and fester and _burn_.

Distantly, outside her body—what was left of it—she felt the ground shake beneath her, saw another brilliant burst of red light that lit up the field. She heard a cry of pain, or was it elation, or grief—she wasn't sure. There was just too much _pain._ She would do anything to just make it… _stop_.

All the strength she'd gathered to fight drained from her. But below that, there was awareness of something cracking, breaking—she didn't know what, but it felt important.

 _No shit. I'm dying,_ she thought impassively.

And then, suddenly…she wasn't.

She heard—no, _felt_ —the wind. It was almost as if it were calling to her…emboldening her to not only withstand the pain, but _repel_ it.

 ** _Do It,_** the voice said.

She thought the word, "Shinpū," although she had no way of knowing if she'd actually been able to say it aloud. And then, clear as day, she heard:

"REKKA…SAIRYŪJIN!"

She felt the earth crumble beneath her as a mighty, furious roar filled the air.

xxxxxx

 _The full moon, fat and wide, hung low in the sky, illuminating the sakura blossoms that drifted on the breeze below._

 _His back was facing her, his right hand gripping the hilt of the jian strapped at his waist. She'd only relived this moment a million times over the past four years; it was the nightmare she could never escape, because it was of her own making. This was it—the beginning of the end.  
_

 _But something was wrong, she thought absently. This wasn't the way it had happened. Not quite.  
_

 _"_ _Yu—" Her voice cracked, so she reached out for him instead. "Wai—"_

 _"_ _One day, I hope you'll understand the gravity of what you're asking me," he said. "And hopefully by then, I'll be able to forgive you for it."_

 _Without a single glance in her direction, he walked away from her. For the last time.  
_

 _She found her voice as she stumbled forward. "_ _Yukio!" she shouted._

 _The scene shifted. Now, Takako glanced over his shoulder at her, his chubby face stretched by a joyous, snaggletoothed grin. "Kaa-san! Look what I can do!"_

 _"_ _How many times do I have to tell you?" she grumbled. "I'm not—"_

 _The scene shifted yet again._

 _A beautiful woman with lavender hair and violet eyes sat propped against a tree, her arms pressed to a bleeding wound on her stomach. She was dying._

 _But she looked up at Kameyo…and smiled, reaching out for her hand._

xxxxxx

 ** _Do Not Forget…What Is At Stake_ , **the voice whispered, though not unkindly.

A bright red light surrounded her in warmth.

She blacked out.


	9. Fall From Grace

**A/N:** Lol, I'm even lazier than I thought. I'll try to post the rest of the chapters before the New Year; please bear with me.

* * *

 **Chapter Nine: Fall From Grace**

Tasuki opened his eyes and found himself staring at a bright white, ornate vaulted ceiling; wide beams of sunlight poured into the room through the arched doorways on both sides. The air was syrupy sweet with the smell of exotic flowers—flowers he knew would be lining the covered pathways right outside.

 _Mt. Taikyoku._

He flexed his fingers experimentally. He could feel the soft silk sheets sliding across his skin, his chest rising and falling as he breathed in and out. So he wasn't dead. Fantastic.

"What th' hell happened?" he muttered, rubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw. He had no idea how long he'd been there—time passed differently, if it even passed at all, on the sacred mountain. It could've been hours or it could've been days.

Tasuki sat up and cracked his knuckles, looking around for his clothes. He'd never understand why healing their injuries required them to be naked—his eyes landed on the lump lying beside him, then widened.

" _What th' f—_!" Chichiri groaned and rolled onto his side, making the sheet covering him slip dangerously low on his hip; Tasuki snapped his mouth shut.

"Godsdamned Sunakake-baba!" Tasuki clenched and unclenched his fists as he counted to ten. "If I didn't think tryna strangle ya would get me killed—!" Chichiri snored softly. Tasuki cursed more under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief as his skin heated from head to toe.

"Well fuck, guess I should jus' be glad ta see yer still alive," he muttered to Chichiri, rubbing the back of his head. He hitched the sheets higher up on his body and glanced sideways at his friend. The monk's eyebrows were furrowed slightly, but whether in concentration or in pain, Tasuki didn't know. If he had to guess, it was a mixture of both. Sure, they'd both been healed, but he knew from experience that being attacked by a demon left wounds on a much deeper level, and probably more so for a monk. Tasuki scowled, lifting his head to stare at the far wall.

xxxxxx

 _"T-Tasuki…" Chichiri said, his teeth bared as he grimaced in pain. "Just…do it."_

 _Tasuki shook his head. "No! I'm not givin' up on ya! Jus' like_ you _never gave up on me!"_

 _Fate really did have it out for him, didn't it? First Miboshi, then Tenkou…now this._

 _In the corner of his eye, he saw Fujin stalk toward Kameyo, who lay prone in the grass. His head whipped in their direction._

 _"Fuck!" he shouted. "Kameyo!" A blast of pure energy slammed into his chest. Tasuki was thrown backward and he skidded across the ground. Chichiri prowled toward him with his hand still outstretched, but anguish formed deep furrows between his eyebrows._

 _"T-Tasuki. I c-can't fight this…for much longer." He grimaced. "You have to kill me, before Fujin takes total control!"_

 _"Damnit, ya piece of shit! I didn't let ya sacrifice yerself fer me before an' I definitely ain't lettin' ya do it, now!" He gritted his teeth. "Yer a fuckin' seishi, ain't ya? Well show that demon what's fer an' take 'im out!"_

 _It wasn't that simple, Tasuki knew. But gods, what he wouldn't give to believe that it was._

 _Kameyo screamed. The demon had their forearm embedded in her chest, draining her of her life force. The violet light flared brilliantly around her, but it was quickly being absorbed by Fujin's own ki. In a few minutes, she'd be dead. And though knocking all the bandits out last night had been relatively quick and easy, Chichiri's power was on a whole different level. He'd countered every blow Tasuki tried to land._

What th' fuck am I supposed to do? _Tasuki thought._ What th' fuck am I supposed to _do_?!

 _ **Genrou** , the voice said again. **Use Your Sacred Fire**_ _—_ _ **Quickly!**_

Who th' hell is this?! _he thought. But it's not like he had anything else left to lose._

 _He felt the mountain pulse beneath his feet as wind kicked up dust and dirt all around him. Suddenly, a wave of calmness flowed through him._

 _Tasuki pointed his tessen right at Fujin. "REKKA…SAIRYŪJIN!"_

 _Flames consumed the demon as the earth began to tremble and splinter. Kameyo still lay motionless on the ground, but the violet light pulsed brighter, engulfing the entire field in a radiant glow. Another gust of wind whistled by, feeding the flames and making them burn hotter and brighter still._

 _A mighty roar echoed in the air. The demon's body disintegrated, acrid red smoke taking its place. Tasuki felt the earth crumble beneath him as a hand wrapped around his arm. A flash of red light, then nothing._

xxxxxx

Tasuki blinked, shaking the memories away. Had Chichiri saved him? He glanced down at the monk. But how?

 _And where th' hell is Kameyo?_

Regardless, it seemed like they were safe…for now. But was Fujin really dead? Something told him the answer was "hell fucking no."

Which meant everyone on Mt. Reikaku was still in danger. And yet, he was stuck _here_.

"'Chiri…" Tasuki rubbed at his chest. A shiver raced up his spine as he recalled the anguished expression on his friend's face. "Shit, I don't even know what ta say. Yer always th' one fixin' everyone _else's_ problems…but I don't have a clue about how ta fix _this_." He scowled at his lap. "If ya hadn't poured so many resources inta protectin' the stronghold, ya probably could've beaten that demon no problem, couldn't ya?" He sagged forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "But 'cause ya were cleanin' up _my_ messes, as usual, that demon got ta ya." He shook his head. "Heh. Maybe Souta's right," he murmured. "Maybe I _don't_ got what it takes."

 _More people are going to die._ Both Kameyo and Souta had said that, hadn't they? But fuck, it wasn't like he didn't have over five years of experience to prove exactly that.

So why did the thought still make his chest hurt so damned much?

Chichiri groaned, his eye blinking open. "Stop…talking…no da."

Tasuki jerked upright. "'Chiri!" He leaned over him, searching the monk's face. "How're ya feelin'?"

Chichiri's skin was smooth and blemish free (except for the…well, yeah), but he looked a bit paler than usual, with slight bags under his eye sockets. He shook his head stiffly, his eye sliding closed again. He inhaled. "This…isn't your fault. And…I'll…live. I…wouldn't hesitate…to do it again…because your family…is my family…no da."

 _Aw shit._ Tasuki's eyes watered, and he hastily wiped them clean. "Fuck, 'Chiri. Stop bein' all sappy," he croaked. "It's creepin' me out."

A ghost of a smile lit Chichiri's face. "Sorry." His eyebrows shot up. "But I…have a question."

"Yeah, what is it?"

Chichiri squinted up at him. "Why…are you…naked?"

Tasuki glanced down at his bare chest, blushed, and scooted over as far as he could manage without faceplanting the floor.

"Because Taiitsukun has a _really_ fucked-up sense of humor," he deadpanned, "an' I guess she heard ya professin' yer love ta me th' other night." He gestured down at himself. "Ya couldn't stop th' demon, so I guess this is yer consolation prize. I jus' _know_ yer feelin' better already, ain't ya? 'Cause I know _I_ sure am."

Chichiri groaned, squeezing his eye shut. "Are you sure…I'm not still possessed? Surely…this is hell."

Tasuki snorted. "If it is, I'm right there wit ya, buddy."

With another groan, Chichiri forced himself up to a sitting position, careful not to displace the thin sheets. "Where's Kameyo-san? I remember she helped fend the demon off, no da."

"Hmm, dunno. She's gotta be 'round 'ere somewhere. Want me ta go look?"

"Yes…" Chichiri grimaced and glanced away. "And _please_ put some clothes on, no da."

" _Hey_! It ain't no pleasure seein' _yer_ pasty ass, neither!" Tasuki jabbed a finger at him. "Yer eye better stay fuckin' closed!"

"You don't have anything I haven't seen before…but trust me, I'm definitely not interested in seeing it again, no da."

Tasuki jumped up from the bed, grumbling and blushing as he approached a pile of clothes neatly folded on a nearby table. His tessen was perched on top, gleaming in the light…

"Eh?" Tasuki grabbed it and lifted it to his face, inspecting a long, skinny cut gouged into the diamond surface. "When th' hell did that happen?"

He heard rustling behind him as Chichiri slipped out of bed. "What is it, no da?"

"Looks like my tessen's got a new battle scar." He tapped his fingernails on it, weighing it in his hand. "Still feels th' same. But I didn't know anythin' was strong enough ta scratch this thing."

Chichiri's footsteps sounded on the tile floor. "Hmm…that _is_ odd, no da. Maybe you used more energy in that last battle than you thought."

Tasuki carefully set his tessen back on the table, unfolded his pants with a snap, and shimmied into them. "Hey, what th' hell happened back there, anyway?" he called over his shoulder. "One minute ya were possessed an' beatin' the snot outta me, next thing I know I'm surrounded by Suzaku's light an' I wake up on Taikyoku."

"When you attacked Fujin that last time, it was enough to break their hold on me, no da. I came to just soon enough to teleport us all here before I passed out."

"What about Kameyo?"

"What…do you mean?" He heard Chichiri's shakujou jingle. "And I'm dressed now, no da. It's safe."

Tasuki turned around just as Chichiri slipped his kesa back on. "So that demon didn't kill 'er, right? But it sure as hell came close." He folded his arms, cocking his head. "But I heard her wind at th' end, which meant she must've done something ta help boost up my flames. But how?"

"That's a question I also have, no da. I'll fill you in on the gist of what Taiitsukun-sama has told me already, and then we can have her clarify the rest together, no da."

After slipping on his shirt, Tasuki pulled his vest on, then shoved his feet into his boots, leaning his hip against the table for leverage. "Hmph, well. I wouldn't have to worry 'bout 'er at all if she had jus' listened ta me in th' first damn place."

Chichiri said nothing, but a secretive smile had appeared on his face.

Tasuki scowled. "Now what?"

"Nothing. I'm just noticing a trend, that's all."

A groan left his lips. "I don't even wanna know, do I?"

Chichiri opened his mouth to respond at the same time a loud crash reverberated from the hall. The two warriors glanced at each other.

"Now what?" Tasuki said again, annoyed.

"Da…I'm sure it's just Nyan-Nyan," Chichiri said with a shrug, heading toward the door. "She's usually pretty rambunctious…well, all the time, no da."

Another crash. Tasuki raised an eyebrow, grabbing his tessen before he wandered out into the hallway. He glanced left, then right. All was quiet.

A loud, feminine shriek echoed from farther down the hall.

" _OUCH!_ Get your hands off me!"

Something shattered—it sounded like a big pot, Tasuki thought.

Chichiri frowned. "Guess now we know where Kameyo-san is, no da."

"The _real_ question is why she's makin' all this damn noise."

Another crash. A burst of wind shot across the hall, and then Kameyo rounded the corner, her sheathed sword wielded like a club in front of her. Her eyes widened in relief when she saw the two of them standing there. "You're alive!" she crowed, jogging toward them with a wide, relieved smile on her face. "Oh thank the gods!"

Tasuki's mouth dropped open. "W-Where the hell is your shirt?!"

She wore a pair of white cotton trousers, but her feet were bare and a small strip of her stomach was revealed beneath the tight fabric of her chest binding. Her hair fell over her shoulders in spiky clumps, as if she had just rolled out of bed. Tasuki willed his gaze up to the ceiling, but every slight move she made brought his attention back to her…situation.

"Don't worry about that!" she snapped, blushing. She pointed behind her. "Worry about that weird demon woman chasing me!"

"Demon…woman?" Chichiri asked. He chuckled. "Surely you don't mean—"

A small cloud of pink smoke appeared, and Nyan-Nyan emerged from it, glaring at Kameyo. "You're a mean lady!" she shouted, stomping her foot. "Taiitsukun-sama and Nyan-Nyan were only trying to help!"

Kameyo narrowed her eyes, raising her sword high over her head. "Oh yeah? How do I know you're not a devil, too?"

"Because if I _really_ wanted to hurt you, you'd already be dead, meanie face!"

"Now you're _threatening_ me?"

Chichiri waved his hands, biting his lip to keep from laughing again. "No, Kameyo—you're not in any danger here, no da! We're all safe!"

She stared at Chichiri, her wide eyes trained on his scar. She went pale, and then she shook her head. "And how do I know you're not still possessed right now?"

"Oh for th' love of—" Tasuki gestured around him. She swung to face him, and his eyes shot toward the ceiling again. "I-If someone were out ta get ya, do ya really think ya would've woken up in a place like this?"

"No," a deep voice boomed. Another cloud of smoke materialized, and through the wisps, Tasuki saw wrinkly skin and glaring eyes. "But I think I should throw all you ungrateful troublemakers out on your rear ends regardless!"

"AH!" Tasuki shouted, jerking away.

Kameyo squawked and swung her sword. "Senpu—" Taiitsukun waved her hand, and a yellow light surrounded Kameyo, freezing her in place. "Ah," she grunted, squeezing her eyes shut. "W-What—"

"I'm not going to let you go until you agree to stop with this childish behavior," Taiitsukun said, frowning. "We don't have time for games. Fujin is still very much alive, and if you do not return to Reikaku shortly, they will surely devour it!"

"Taiitsukun-sama," Chichiri said, bowing his head. "I apologize; I'm sure it was very stressful for Kameyo-san to wake up here without an explanation, no da. But I promise she'll be fine now."

Kameyo scowled at him.

" _Right?_ " Chichiri prompted.

She narrowed her eyes into slits as she turned to Taiitsukun. "Prove to me I can trust you."

The god of the universe smirked and pointed at the gemstones shimmering around Kameyo's neck. Tasuki's gaze followed the direction of Taiitsukun's finger and quickly jerked away again. _Damnit, stop that!_ "What do _they_ tell you?" Taiitsukun asked.

Kameyo frowned, pursing her lips. "…That even though you have the face of a demon…" She hesitated, her gaze sliding to the floor. "You're not trying to hurt me."

Taiitsukun nodded and snapped her fingers. Kameyo let out a loud sigh as the yellow light disappeared and her arms dropped to her sides; Taiitsukun snapped again and a flowing white tunic appeared on Kameyo, covering her chest. Tasuki found himself sighing in relief, too.

"Now…" Taiitsukun glanced around at the three of them. "Is everyone here prepared to act like adults?"

Tasuki and Chichiri turned their pointed stares on Kameyo.

She blushed, but jerked her chin.

Taiitsukun nodded and turned around. She floated down the hall, her magnificent robes flowing behind her on a nonexistent breeze. "Good. Then let us return to my chambers. We have much to discuss."

"I really didn't need ta be traumatized twice 'fore I even ate breakfast," Tasuki grumbled loudly, glancing at Kameyo as he walked by her. Her expression had turned pensive as they trailed behind Taiitsukun, while Nyan-Nyan had multiplied into four small chibi versions of herself that were running up and down the hall around them, giggling.

Kameyo frowned thoughtfully. "You know about my gemstones," she murmured to Taiitsukun's back. "Does that mean…you know where they came from?"

Taiitsukun chuckled. "Of course. I know everything about you, Ji Kameyo…yes, even that." Kameyo screeched to a halt, her eyes wide. Taiitsukun glanced over her shoulder and smirked. "And that, as well."

Kameyo's cheeks turned beet red. She coughed into her fist. "In my defense, that was a long time ago," she muttered, looking away.

Taiitsukun grunted. "Foolish girl…when you have seen all that I have seen, the things one mortal experiences hardly register. Although I must say that I admire your stamina."

"Well, I…" She coughed, ducking her head as she increased her pace. "So, ahem…where's this chamber of yours?"

"Sounds like a juicy story," Tasuki said with a smirk.

"And unless you can read minds, too," she shot back, "you'll never hear it."

xxxxxx

"Chichiri already knows most of this," Taiitsukun said after they had all settled in her main chamber. Tasuki plopped down on one of the many large velvet pillows that covered the floor, while Kameyo hovered at the periphery of the group, gawking at the swirling constellations carved into the stone roof above. "But for you two, Tasuki and Kameyo, I'll try to be thorough but brief. This demon you have been facing is not a demon at all—they are a former god."

"' _Former_ '?" Tasuki said, leaning back on his hands. "Since when is god status somethin' that can be revoked?"

"When you betray The Emperor of the Heavens," Taiitsukun said solemnly. "Fujin was a wind god who reigned mostly in the lands of Hokkan, but as is natural for the element, they were able to travel to other lands as well. Konan was their secondary home. But they grew greedy for more power, and joined with other minor gods to attempt to overthrow me. Obviously, they failed. But that attempt left Fujin's soul in a bruised and corrupted state, until they became what they are today."

She shook her head and sighed. "Fujin has learned from their prior mistakes and has set their sights lower—they wish to overthrow the god of Reikaku, Daichi, instead."

"Daichi?" Kameyo murmured. She paced back and forth beside Tasuki, her eyes now trained on the gleaming rainbow-tiled floor. "I've been thinking—hearing?—that name ever since I made it to the mountain."

Taiitsukun nodded. "Yes…Daichi has been guarding Reikaku from the beginning. It is his life force that creates the barrier that protects the mountain and its inhabitants from demonic influence. Reikaku was always meant to be a haven for those pure of heart."

Kameyo grimaced. "And yet it has a _bandit_ stronghold perched on top of it."

"Hey!" Tasuki snapped. "We only rob from th' assholes! We're th' good guys!"

Kameyo raised an eyebrow at him. "Hm." She turned to Taiitsukun. "During the battle I heard a man speaking to me, telling me what to do. So that was his voice I heard? Daichi's?"

Tasuki leaned forward. "I heard a voice, too. So I wasn't jus' goin' crazy?"

"Da…so did I," Chichiri said. He crossed his legs. "He's been trying to give us guidance. At this point, he isn't able to fight Fujin off on his own, no da."

"That is correct," Taiitsukun said. "Daichi is able to communicate intuitively with those under his protection, but his abilities to protect the mountain are limited at this point. With the barrier being so weak, it was the perfect opportunity for Fujin to infiltrate the mountain and begin plotting on how to remove it entirely, and it seems they have already begun doing so."

"Yeah, but what made th' barrier start dissolvin' in th' first place?"

Taiitsukun's beady black eyes bore into his own. "Tenkou."

Tasuki's spine snapped straight. "What?"

It was two years later, and still…?

Kameyo stopped beside him, her wary violet gaze focused on his grim expression. Tasuki glared at her in return, and she rolled her eyes and turned to Taiitsukun. "Who's Tenkou?"

"Tenkou was a demon god that I sealed away long ago," Taiitsukun said. "Two years ago, he was able to weaken the seals and threaten our world, and that of the priestesses, once more. Although he was defeated, we have not seen such a threat in centuries. It will take much more time for balance to be completely restored…In the meantime, minor gods like Daichi and the sacred places they guard will continue to be vulnerable to attack and corruption."

Tasuki groaned and flopped onto his back. " _Fuck._ It never ends, does it?"

Kameyo folded her arms. "So what does all that have to do with _me_?"

"Fujin's body was destroyed eighteen years ago by a goddess named Meihou." Taiitsukun studied her. "Do you recognize that name?"

She narrowed her eyes. "The demon…that's what the demon called me, before."

"That is because they recognized her life force inside of you. Your powers are that of Meihou, goddess of the southern winds…and Fujin's counterpart."

 _A wind goddess?_ Tasuki thought. His eyes moved over her body. That explained everything and nothing all at the same time. When he'd touched her necklace back on Reikaku, he'd felt… _something_. Like a tiny version of that electric hum that he felt every time he came back to the mountain. And when he'd carried her to Anzu's room, he'd felt a flash of warmth, as if something inside him… _recognized_ her.

 _That's fuckin' ridiculous_ , he snarled inwardly. _I must be losin' it._ But hell, something had felt familiar during the battle with Fujin too, hadn't it? Almost… _instinctual._

First Takako, then the demon…now this.

Tasuki sprang to his feet and walked clear to the other side of the room, ignoring the questioning looks Chichiri and Kameyo were throwing him. It was his turn to pace.

He heard Kameyo's low voice behind him. "Counterpart how, exactly?"

"The human equivalent would be siblings, I suppose," Taiitsukun said. "Meihou and Fujin worked together to maintain the balance of the air element in Hokkan and Konan. But when Fujin rebelled against the Sacred Realm, she attempted to stop them…and paid for it with her life."

Tasuki gestured wildly in the woman's direction. "Then how th' hell did Meihou's ki end up in Kameyo?"

Taiitsukun nodded at Kameyo. "That is a question for her to answer."

She shook her head. "I…I don't know anything about that. I certainly would remember if I'd encountered a goddess."

"Didn't ya say ya had an accident as a kid that left ya unconscious fer a month?" Tasuki ran his fingers through his hair as he turned on his heel and started walking back the way he'd come. "An' that when ya woke up, that's when ya had those powers?"

Chichiri glanced at her. "…Is that so? Whatever Meihou did to you, it must've happened during that time, no da."

Waves of irritation flowed off Kameyo's body. She hunched her shoulders while staring Taiitsukun down. "If you're the god of the entire universe, why can't you just tell me yourself?"

"There are certain truths that only the heart can reveal."

Kameyo snorted and fisted her hands on her hips. "So in other words…you just don't want to."

Tasuki flinched. _Well, this sure ain't gonna end well._

"I'm not your fairy godmother," Taiitsukun snapped. "If you want to learn how to wield your abilities properly, you'll have to learn on your own."

Kameyo scowled. "So…what?" Her voice was steadily rising in volume. "Because I have the powers of Fujin's other half, somehow that means I have what it takes to kill them?"

"If you can extract them from whatever body they are inhabiting at the time, a final blow using your sacred winds will end them." Taiitsukun stabbed an accusatory finger at her. "But _only_ if you learn to use your powers properly."

A soft breeze rushed through the chamber, ruffling Kameyo's flowing shirtsleeves. "Are you insinuating…" She lowered her chin, a tic forming in her jaw. "…that I haven't been doing so already?"

Taiitsukun barked out a laugh. "I don't have to insinuate anything, child—your form is _atrocious,_ and I'm honestly surprised you haven't already gotten yourself killed."

Kameyo took a step forward, her hands dropping to her sides. " _Excuse_ me?"

Chichiri jumped to his feet and planted himself between them. "Kameyo—"

"Your ki is out of balance—" Taiitsukun said, her wrinkled mouth turned down at the corners. Her booming voice echoed in the enclosed space, and her agitation was evident in the way her robes whipped about her. "—because you have failed to adequately accept the responsibility that has been bestowed upon you."

"I didn't ask for this!" Kameyo shouted. She flung her arm out to her side. "I didn't ask for _any_ of this! Did anyone ask _me_ if I wanted to be a vessel for some goddess with questionable motives? _No!_ And yet here I am, and here _you_ are, demanding things of me as if this isn't my _life_ we're talking about. I could've died today. My son could've died yesterday! Let's talk about _that_."

She was shaking, she was so pissed, and the air sizzled with static, making Tasuki's hairs stand on end.

"Arrogant, foolish girl," Taiitsukun snapped. "Have you even stopped to think about how many more lives are at stake? This is greater than you!"

"Kameyo," Tasuki hissed, stomping over to her. "Yer gonna get us all killed!"

Kameyo ignored him, laughing bitterly. "So the fact that the last time I used my powers this much, I ended up coughing up blood…that means nothing to you."

Tasuki froze with his hand raised between them, just an inch or so from touching her shoulder. She'd injured herself so much in the past that she'd coughed up _blood_? He flashed back to all those times she'd doubled over in pain, clutching her head. He'd initially waved it off as her body needing to adjust to the thinner air of the mountain…but what if the altitude had nothing to do with that? As long as he'd known her—admittedly not long at all—she'd always seemed reluctant to use her powers even with all the damage they could do…but despite her misgivings, she'd still used those very same powers to help him and Chichiri, even knowing what they were doing to her. What they still _could_ do to her.

A rock settled in Tasuki's stomach. _Holy shit._

Taiitsukun scowled, but her voice was mild when she next spoke. "There is no doubt you have suffered considerably because of Meihou's interference. I do not condone what she did. But the fact still remains that your attitude is _also_ an obstacle to your health. Your bitterness over your circumstances is poisoning you, _has_ _been_ poisoning you for over a decade now. It makes you a perfect target for Fujin's machinations, especially now that they know the truth of the power you possess." She lifted her hand, and a small ball of golden light materialized and began to spin slowly, bringing with it the soft caress of an ocean breeze to everyone in the room. "Wind is a volatile element. It is not easily controlled. And by refusing to embrace its power as part of you, you are sentencing yourself, and the people you care about, to death." She pointed an arthritic, wrinkled finger on her other hand at Kameyo. "The world demands balance at all times, and it will have it…even if it costs you your life."

Kameyo's eyes widened, her hand instinctively reaching up to clutch at her necklace. Unbridled pain flashed across her face before she quashed it and directed her gaze to the floor. "So then you've already made my choice for me, haven't you?" she murmured. "There's nothing left to discuss."

 _She doesn't want any of this,_ Tasuki thought. _An' fuck, can ya blame 'er?_

"I don't see why she gotta be involved at all, especially if she don't wanna," Tasuki said, eyeing the woman. Her gaze remained trained on the floor. "I mean, hell, we're seishi, ain't we? We could take down one demon god, so I don't see why we couldn't handle another."

 _That certainly worked out well for ya last time, didn't it?_ his subconscious whispered.

 _Yeah, it did. Fuck off._

"Last time you had all the warriors, as well as Miaka," Taiitsukun said. "This isn't nearly as dire a situation as that, but as you have seen, Fujin is not above using manipulation to achieve their goals. If it were only your lives that hung in the balance, perhaps. But Fujin knows you care about the Reikaku bandits, and they will use that connection to try and break you, as you have already seen. Combining your holy fire with that of Meihou's wind is the best option to minimize the damage they are able to do and end this conflict before it spreads beyond just the mountain's peak."

Tasuki rubbed his neck. "But… _why_? What's so special 'bout me? I mean, yeah, I'm a seishi, but…"

"Hmph. You need another explanation?"

He glared at her. "What I'm sayin' is…Daichi mentioned th' fire too, like it was special, somehow. As if me bein' a seishi was only part of it."

Taiitsukun nodded. "As the rightful leader of the Reikaku bandits, Daichi has entrusted a small portion of his power only to you. When you use the tessen, you are drawing off that power, and while he is still weak, _you_ are the only one who can defend the mountain adequately in his stead."

"Shit. So by ya askin' me, 'Chiri, an' Kameyo ta work together…it's cause we're combinin' th' powers of _three_ gods, not jus' two."

"Correct."

Tasuki put his hands on his hips. "All right…so where is Fujin now?"

"Daichi is currently holding them at bay. In their weakened state, it will be some time before they can continue destroying the mountain…which is fortunate, because I cannot permit you three to leave just yet."

Kameyo's head snapped up.

"Huh?" Tasuki said.

"You all—especially you, Chichiri—must recover here. You've all been tainted by Fujin, and if you return before your ki is completely purified, you will be at an increased risk of falling under their influence. I _cannot_ allow that to happen." She turned to meet Chichiri's gaze. "The fact that they were able to influence you at all, weakened or not, is great cause for concern. It means they are much stronger than anticipated."

The monk grimaced, as if he was ashamed. Tasuki definitely empathized. "But…how long will that take, no da?"

"In mortal time, perhaps a couple days."

Kameyo stiffened. "I'm not staying here," she blurted.

"I wasn't giving you the option," Taiitsukun boomed.

"Takako is all alone up there," she whispered, her face going pale. "He doesn't even have his gemstone for protection."

Tasuki glanced at Chichiri. "…Ya gettin' possessed wouldn't impact th' barrier, would it?"

"No, no…it's still there, no da. Luckily Fujin didn't think to force me to remove it when they were controlling me."

"But without you, no one can get back in if they leave," Kameyo said. "Which effectively means they're trapped."

Tasuki grunted. "Better trapped in than out, ain't it?"

"No," Kameyo snapped. She hugged her midsection. "It's not."

"I thought we went o'er this," he grumbled. "Nothin's gonna happen ta th' kid on Reikaku. If there's anyone who knows how ta hold down th' fort, it's Kouji…an' Anzu, too."

 _Liar,_ his subconscious whispered.

She closed her eyes. "It's not Kouji or Anzu I'm worried about."

She looked so tired, it was making his chest ache. …Wait. He zeroed in on her body language—the stiff shoulders, the fidgeting, her refusal to make eye contact. A yawning emptiness opened in his heart. _Fuck, don't tell me—_

"Kameyo-san," Chichiri said before Tasuki could. "Did…something happen back on the mountain?"

She gritted her teeth and ignored them, which was answer enough.

 _"Kameyo,_ " Tasuki said sternly.

She glared at the wall and said nothing, her chin lifted.

Taiitsukun sighed. "While the three of you are recuperating, perhaps you could also make some genuine efforts to establish trust," she said. "Otherwise, all of this is for naught." She scowled at Kameyo. "Which naturally would lead to some _very_ dire consequences for your son." With another puff of smoke, she disappeared.

Leaving the two seishi alone with a _very_ irate woman.

"Kameyo," Tasuki croaked. "Did…did one of the bandits…?"

He couldn't say it—didn't even want to think it. He trusted his men.

 _It's almost like the Reikaku bandits have a pretty specific shortcoming, don't they?_

 _Fuck!_ He started grinding his teeth. He really _was_ losing it.

"I realize you haven't known either of us for very long, no da," Chichiri said quietly. "But we only want to help."

Kameyo's gaze flicked up to meet Chichiri's. She hugged herself tighter, then looked away with a heavy sigh. "I know."

Tasuki raised his eyebrows. "Do you?"

Kameyo turned those violet eyes on him, a furrow forming between her brows. "I've only been around you two for a day, and I've already been attacked _twice_ ," she said flatly. "I guess that doesn't put me in a very good mood." She sighed again. "But…I apologize. It's just that I… _hell._ " She buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. "You have no idea…how many horrible memories this brings up."

"Trust me," Tasuki spat, "you don't know th' half o' it."

"It _has_ only been a day," Chichiri interjected, shooting Tasuki a look. "It is a lot to take in, no da. No apology needed."

Kameyo nodded, turning to stare at Tasuki. "One of your bandits threatened me yesterday."

Tasuki stiffened. "Who?" he demanded, his voice low.

"Souta. He made it very clear that if I didn't toe the line, he wouldn't hesitate to make me, and Takako, pay for it." She shrugged. "It didn't go any further than that. But it doesn't exactly inspire confidence."

" _Sonuvabitch._ I _knew_ somethin' was up wit him last night."

Kameyo gazed at the floor. "For the last four years, it's just been me and Takako. I adopted him when I was fifteen…did he tell you that? I was barely a woman." She scowled. "His parents were murdered by demons."

Tasuki flinched. "Yer shittin' me."

She nodded. "So you can imagine why all of this doesn't exactly make me feel…" She glanced at Chichiri. "And Fujin _blinded_ you, too?"

"Huh?" He stared at her in confusion for a moment before laughing self-consciously, reaching up to rub his scarred cheek. "Oh no…this isn't from Fujin, no da—I've had this scar for years."

"Hm. You had both eyes the last time _I_ saw you."

"That was a mask, no da." He outstretched his hand and with a puff of smoke, it appeared in his palm. He smoothed it over his face and smiled. "See, no da? Good as new! Guess I forget you hadn't seen me without it yet, no da."

Kameyo cocked her head. "Mou…you two are a strange pair, you know that?"

"Ta know us is ta love us," Tasuki deadpanned.

"Hm," Kameyo said. "So now what?" Her voice was monotone, her eyes blank. "I'm not allowed to go home; apparently I'm not even allowed to care that fighting this demon god again might kill me. I'm not even allowed to care that it might kill my son. So what do you want from me? Am I supposed to just smile and get over it because love conquers all and all that garbage?"

Chichiri lightly touched her shoulder. "Nothing you're feeling is unreasonable, no da. This would be hard for anyone to handle. We're not expecting you to embrace it right away."

"But you _are_ expecting me to embrace it," she said. "Which means you're not giving me a choice, either."

Tasuki frowned. "What, ya think yer th' only one who feels like that? Ya think me an' 'Chiri never feel like it's all too much? Let me remind ya, there used ta be _seven_ of us."

Kameyo scoffed. "Gee, why didn't I think of that? Out of seven celestial warriors, four of them, plus hundreds of other soldiers, died horrible, pointless deaths. You're right; that makes me feel _so_ much better."

Tasuki grimaced. "What I meant was—"

"When you ran to help me and Tasuki, you knew that it was dangerous, no da," Chichiri said. "But you did it anyway. Why?"

Kameyo frowned, glancing down at her hands, which she was wringing anxiously. "You…you vouched for me and my son when no one else did." She shook her head. "I couldn't exactly return the favor by letting you die, could I?"

Chichiri nodded. "So loyalty is very important to you, no da."

She snorted as she lifted her gaze. "Of course."

"Has Takako been the only one who has ever inspired that sort of loyalty in you, up to this point?"

"…No."

"Who were the other people, no da? If you don't mind me asking."

She fidgeted with the sleeve of her shirt. "I…would rather not say."

"Fair enough. But if they needed you to support them and it was a matter of life and death, would you?"

Kameyo closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, resignation clinging to her skin. "Without question."

"It can be hard, to imagine yourself risking everything for total strangers. So don't think of it that way, no da. Takako seems to really love Mt. Reikaku and the bandits, so it stands to reason that anything that's good for Mt. Reikaku would be good for him, too, no da."

She curled a strand of hair around her finger, her movements jerky and agitated. "Not if I make him leave," she huffed.

"But that's not an option—at least not for the moment. So I guess you have to decide if your sense of self-preservation is more important than acquiring the skills you need to keep your son safe right _now_ , no da."

Kameyo yanked harder at her hair and grunted. "So much for not feeling manipulated."

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, no da. If it makes any difference, I didn't embrace being a seishi easily, either—neither did Tasuki. It took me three years of intense training and a lot of humble pie, no da. I don't expect you to feel anything close to the way I feel now." He tapped his chin. "I probably shouldn't use any of my powers until I've performed all of the purification rites, but I suppose I could convince Taiitsukun-sama to teleport Takako here, no da."

She froze with her hand buried against her scalp, haphazard strands sticking up all over the damn place. "You…you'd do that for me?"

"Of course, no da!" He rifled into the folds of his kesa and pulled out a small, circular mirror with Suzaku's emblem emblazoned on the back. "On one condition: You have to talk to Taka-kun first."

Tasuki stepped closer and peered at it. "That looks like the mirror Miaka was usin' ta communicate with Hotohori when he was back at th' palace."

"Yes, no da." Chichiri tapped the edge of the mirror and held it out to Kameyo. "If you concentrate on his ki and look into it, you'll be able to see him."

Kameyo bit her lip and took it gingerly in her hands. "You're not just fooling with me, are you?"

Chichiri smiled. "Only one way to find out."

She glared mildly at the monk, but then closed her eyes and heaved out a big breath. A white-gold shimmer pulsed from the surface as she concentrated, and then a bright flash of white exploded from the glass, making Kameyo jerk with surprise. She opened her eyes, squinted at the mirror, then gasped. _"Takako!_ "

Tasuki squeezed in closer for a better look.

There was a mirror in the stronghold's dining hall—it was always covered with a fine layer of dust because bandits weren't known for being particularly vain, but it had been there when Hakurou had led the group, so no one dared to get rid of it. They must've been looking through it now. Tasuki let out a sigh in relief.

Someone had righted all the tables and swept away all the broken glass and ceramic shards that had shattered during the first round of earthquakes. Many of the bandits milled about the room, anxious murmurs creating a low roar. Kouji sat cross-legged on one of the tables, his sheathed short sword lying beside him. His right hand was bandaged up to the wrist, and he flexed it every now and then, as if to work out the aches and kinks.

As always, Anzu stood beside him, her arm looped through his as they murmured to one another.

Sitting underneath the same table, his shoulders slumped forward as he stared at the floor, was Takako.

"Takako!" Kameyo shouted again. The sound of her voice reverberated in the dining hall, causing the conversation in the room to screech to a halt.

Takako's head snapped up, and then his eyes widened. He jumped up, banged his head into the table, and let out a squawk before he scrambled out into the open and ran to the other side of the room and the mirror. _"Kaa-san!"_ he shouted. He pressed in close to the glass, using his sleeve to rub it clean. His brown eyes shimmered with unshed tears, a bemused smile on his face. "Thank Suzaku you're okay!" He pressed his nose to the glass, sneezed, and pulled away with a grimace. "Where are you?!"

Kameyo grinned. "I'm somewhere called Mt. Taikyoku. Are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah, me and Kouji-aniki have been keeping things in order. But where have you been?! I thought…er, we thought…" He shook his head. "You never came back from the fight," he murmured, his voice cracking. He turned away to rub at his eyes. "W-We thought—"

Tasuki shoved closer, ignoring Kameyo's growl of warning as he forced himself into view. "How long have we been gone, kid?"

Takako's eyes lit up. "Kashira!" He peered closer, angling his head. "Is Chichiri-sama there, too?"

Chichiri shoved a hand in front of Tasuki's face. "Right here, no da!"

Tasuki scoffed and smacked him away. "We can have a nice lil' chitchat later. Tell me what's happenin' on Reikaku!"

The side of Kouji's face appeared beside Takako's. "Sonuvabitch," he said with a smirk. "I _knew_ yer crazy ass was still alive. Nice ta see yer ugly mug again, Genrou."

Instantly, a grin split Tasuki's lips, and he already felt a thousand times lighter. "Yer sayin' there was ever any doubt? Come on, ya know some piece of shit demon ain't gonna take me down."

Kouji let out a yelp as his face disappeared from view. Anzu stood in his place, eyes shining. "Genrou!" she said, smiling. Her eyes narrowed. "About damn time you showed up, you idiot!"

Tasuki jerked back. " _H-Hey!_ What's th' big idea, talkin' ta yer kashira like that? Is that any way ta treat th' man that jus' saved the day…again?"

"Idiot!" Anzu snapped. "It's been _two days_ since you left ta fight that demon! We were sure you—" She choked and shook her head, scowling. Her gaze dropped to the floor, her lip trembling. "We t-thought—"

Tasuki grabbed the mirror, and Kameyo gave no resistance as he took it from her hands and held it close. "H-Hey, don't…I'm sorry, all right? It's not like I wanted ta get attacked by a nasty demon wolf thing. Besides, ya know I'm made o' tougher stuff than that. I always come back, don't I?"

Anzu sniffled, though her eyes were still narrowed. "Y-Yeah, but—"

"Well, no buts! I'm Tasuki of the Suzaku Shichiseishi! Ya said ya wanted ta be a bandit, no matter what. Well, that means ya gotta trust that I know what I'm doin' an' I'm gonna keep _everyone_ safe—myself included!"

She gave a shaky smile, which made Tasuki even angrier that he was stuck up here instead of down there on Reikaku where his family needed him. Because yeah, fine, Anzu was a pain in his whole ass, but she meant something to him…and he knew he meant a helluva lot to her, too.

"So, uh…I can't come back right away—it's gonna be a couple more days," Tasuki murmured. "But I _am_ comin' back, Anzu; that ain't somethin' ya should even be worryin' about."

She nodded and sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Y-Yeah. I know yer too hardheaded to die. I just…you left us here in a nasty, cramped cellar. Everyone was too scared to care at first, but…when hours passed and you still hadn't shown back up, things started to get really tense. Fights started breaking out; Kouji tried to keep the peace, but then Gorou flipped and pulled out a knife—"

Tasuki's stomach dropped.

"—Kouji's all right," Anzu said quickly, "but if he had left us all in that cellar for much longer, someone would've gotten killed. We still haven't let anyone leave yet, and th' guys are a lot calmer now they've got some more personal space, but…"

Tasuki's fingers dug into the back of the mirror. " _But_?"

Anzu glanced over her shoulder, and then pressed up as close to the mirror as she could. "We're running out of food," she whispered. "Kouji and I have been rationing it, so no one knows exactly what we've got, but…"

But they weren't stupid. They could do the math, and once they did…

Tasuki glanced up, instantly meeting Kameyo's eyes. Her face was pale, her gemstone clenched tightly in her fist. They shared a moment, and then she looked away, pressing her other hand to her mouth.

"What about the demon?" Chichiri said, stepping forward. "Have you seen or heard anything suspicious since we left?"

Anzu shook her head. "Those weird earthquakes kept goin' for hours after you left," she murmured. "But they started tapering off early yesterday and we haven't felt anything since."

 _Fuck._ If the quakes were Daichi fighting off Fujin…

"Genrou, our job is ta protect the mountain," Anzu said. "We're supposed to be taking tolls, protecting our borders—but we're not doing any of that since we've been in here. Who knows what kind of horrible things are going on out on the trails."

There were no right answers here. He could send Kouji and Anzu out to help Daichi and the mountain, but that meant certain death if or when Fujin and their motley crew showed up. Or he could tell them to protect themselves, first, which would eventually mean squaring off against their own men—their own brothers—when the food and water inevitably ran out.

And if somehow, the demon had already gotten in…

"I know this is hard, but I trust ya, Anzu," Tasuki said. She cocked her head, blinking rapidly. "No one knows what's best fer that mountain better than you an' Kouji. Whatever decision ya have ta make…I'll support it. Do what ya can, an' I'll try ta get better so I can get back an' help ya."

Anzu's eyes softened. "G-Genrou…"

"I mean it, Anzu. Whatever it takes." He cleared his throat. "Ya get all that, Kouji?"

Anzu moved aside so Kouji could stand in front. He nodded once, a soft smile on his face. "Yeah. I heard ya loud an' clear, Genrou." He flashed a thumbs-up. "You can count on us." His mouth twisted into a bewildered frown. "So…what th' fuck happened back there, anyway?"

Tasuki took a deep breath and told them, as thoroughly as he could, though Kameyo and Chichiri provided input as needed. As he spoke, reliving every thought, emotion, and action that he'd experienced through it all, it was hard to believe it had all happened over the span of only two—now four—days.

"Fuck," Kouji said, summing it up quite nicely. "This sonuvabitch ain't gonna be no easy pickins, then. If they could do that shit ta _you_ , Chichiri, I don't even wanna know what they could do ta th' rest of our guys now."

Tasuki groaned. "That's another thing." He rubbed a hand over his head. "Kouji, Souta is gonna be a problem."

Kouji chuckled darkly. " _Gonna?_ Sorry, buddy, but that warnin's too little, too late."

"Fuck, what did he do?"

"Fucker's tryna start a mutiny!" Kouji snapped. "He's been spendin' th' last two days makin' all these bullshit accusations against ya, an' when I wouldn't have none of it, he started in on _me_. Sayin' ya were a shitty leader, that this was all yer fault an' that th' reason ya were gone is 'cause ya didn't give a shit if we lived or died. Normally, I wouldn't worry 'cause everyone here is nothin' but loyal ta ya, but…"

"But a demon's on th' loose an' I ain't nowhere ta be found," Tasuki growled. "They're startin' ta fall fer it."

Kouji ducked his head, his cheeks turning pink. "'Fraid so. Sorry, Genrou."

Kameyo pressed against Tasuki, resting her chin on his shoulder so she could see the mirror's surface better. "Kouji…I know it's a lot to ask, considering everything you're dealing with…"

Kouji waved her away. "Eh, I already know what yer gonna say, an' it's not even a question. I'll watch out fer yer kid, I promise. Long as I'm 'ere, he's gonna be as safe as if he were up there with ya."

Her fingernails dug into Tasuki's bicep. "Are you sure?" she whispered. "You don't even know him. You don't even—"

"Reikaku bandits protect th' weak an' pilfer th' rich!" he bellowed, hands on his hips. "We fight fer what's right an' fix what's wrong. An' we always get th' girl," he finished with a wink. "Ain't nothin' yer askin' of me that comes in conflict with th' Reikaku credo. Besides, yer kid's been more helpful than ya'd think! Sweepin' up, lugging barrels, collectin' intel on certain mutinous assholes…" He shrugged, a bemused grin on his face. "An' he's been doing it all without a single complaint! Even though he's obviously been scared shitless fer ya." Kouji nodded. "Yup, ya made th' right call wit this one, Genrou. Gonna make one helluva bandit one day."

"One day?" Takako squeaked from somewhere to Kouji's right.

Kouji laughed and shoved him. "Ah, pipe down, kid—ya gotta take what ya can get 'round here!"

Kameyo looped her arm through Tasuki's, using it as an anchor so she could lean over farther. "Thank you, Kouji." Her voice was timid. "Can…can I talk to Takako alone, for a moment?"

Kouji smiled wide. "Take care of yourself, Kameyo."

She bit her lip and nodded. "You too."

He disappeared from view and Takako wandered back into frame. He smiled. "Yes, kaa-san?"

Tasuki waited for her to ask for the mirror back so he could sidle away and give her privacy—but she seemed content to have this conversation with him standing there, her hand still wrapped around his arm and her head leaned on his shoulder. She smelled of some subtle fragrance he couldn't place, and it sent little flutters through his stomach. _Must be allergic to it,_ he thought.

"Takako…" Kameyo paused. "How are you, _really_?"

The boy frowned, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. "Ah…I'm okay. I didn't get hit by anything when it fell off the wall, if that's what you're asking."

"And Souta? I bet he's been giving you a lot of trouble."

"Um, not really," Takako said. "He hasn't said anything to me at all, actually. He's too busy being a jerk to Kouji-aniki." He scowled, muttering, "I _might_ have tripped him when he walked by me once, but it was dark. I don't think he saw me."

Tasuki burst out laughing. "Yer a godsdamn hero, kid!" He yelped as Kameyo stabbed him in the side with a sharp fingernail.

"Well, how'd you like to come up here with us instead, Takako?" she asked.

Takako cocked his head. "Huh? Why would I want to do that?"

"Because—"

" _Mou_ …I know what you're doing," the boy muttered, folding his arms. "You still don't want me on Reikaku, do you? Even though I can handle my own just fine!"

Kameyo groaned. "You don't—"

"Kashira said you and him have to get better so you can take down that demon, didn't he? He said you're gonna help save Reikaku once and for all! If I'm there, all I'm gonna do is get in the way. I can be useful here, though!

"You don't have to worry about me, kaa-san. I promise I'm going to make you proud, no matter what. I'm not gonna run away." He winked. "And I know you're gonna make me proud, too. How many kids can say their mom is gonna help save the world with the Suzaku seishi, huh?" He pointed at her, though his tone remained light and warm. "So make sure you don't slack off with that training Taiitsukun-sama wants you to do, okay? We're counting on you!"

"D-Did you just _wink_ at me?" she asked, appalled.

 _Gods, he's gonna turn into a mini Kouji,_ Tasuki thought with a smirk.

Takako waved with both hands, smiling so wide his eyes closed. "Bye, kaa-san! Bye, kashira! Make sure you whoop that demon a little extra for me!"

"Sure thing, kid," Tasuki said, fighting back his chuckle.

"Ta-Ta… _hey_! I wasn't—"

But Takako had walked away, out of sight of the mirror. The view of the stronghold began to fade, replaced by the white-gold shimmering light again. Soon, that too faded, and Tasuki and Kameyo were left staring at their own bewildered expressions.

 _"Hey!"_ she said, finally yanking the mirror out of Tasuki's hands. She shook it. "I. Wasn't. Finished!"

Tasuki snorted. "Apparently th' mirror says ya are."

"Gah! They're going to starve to death," she hissed, punctuating each word with another violent shake of the mirror. "And Souta is planning to start a mutiny, and I'm just supposed to—"

"Da, give me that," Chichiri cried, gently tugging it from her hands. "You'll break it."

Kameyo's hand clenched in Tasuki's shirt. "He…he'd never be all right with coming here, would he?" she said quietly, staring at the ground.

 _Fer someone who don't trust me, she sure don't seem ta have any trouble touchin' me,_ he thought, eyeing her hand on his arm. _Pfft, women._

 _Ya literally picked her up an' carried her across a whole fuckin' building,_ his subconscious rebuked.

Tasuki blushed and shook his head. _Shut th' fuck up, brain!_

"Don't look like it," he said to her, taking a huge step sideways so she was forced to let go of his shirt.

"Damn," she hissed, oblivious to his discomfort. "Everyone around me is crazy. A bunch of soft, foolhardy—" She threw her hands up. " _Ugh!_ What's so wrong with self-preservation, anyway?!"

"Nothin'," Tasuki grumbled, "except in this case it kinda makes ya look like a jerk."

"I swear to Suzaku, it's almost as if Yukio raised the fool himself," she grumbled, rubbing a hand over her face. "He's just like him!"

"Who's Yukio?"

Kameyo whirled to face him, eyes wide. "What?"

"Ya said somethin' bout a man named Yukio. Was that th' kid's father?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "No. Takako's birth parents are dead, I told you."

She didn't elaborate. "Whatever," Tasuki scoffed. "I don't care. Ya don't wanna trust me, fine. But if that's how ya wanna play it, then stay th' hell outta my way. _I_ actually care about what happens ta Reikaku, so if yer jus' gonna be wishy-washy 'bout it, I'd rather ya stay right th' hell here. Last thing I need is ya makin' even more of a mess of things."

She turned steely eyes on him, then gritted her teeth and flung her head back. _"Taiitsukun!"_

Taiitsukun poofed into existence in front of her. "You've got some nerve," she barked, "summoning me like a servant."

"Just answer this: Is this some sort of divine retribution? Am I being punished for certain…questionable decisions I've made in the past?"

Taiitsukun chuckled. "You act as if it's my sole duty to torture you. No, Kameyo, this is not retribution. And in any case, you do a better job at it than I ever could."

"All right. I'll…I'll do the training." She shrugged. "Heh, it's not like I ever really liked living all that much, anyway."

"Oh, don't be dramatic," Taiitsukun snapped. She glanced around at the small group. "The three of you will eat and then begin your purification rituals. Then, the training begins."

"But trainin' fer _what_?" Tasuki asked.

"Fujin will attempt to destroy the barrier around Daichi's main shrine, defeat him, and then take his body for their own. You must _not_ let that happen."

"Obviously," Tasuki muttered.

"You, Kameyo, and Chichiri must enter that shrine and get to Daichi before Fujin does. But as you have already experienced, Daichi is keeping anything and everything _out_. You must center yourselves and clear your mind of all toxic and impure thoughts." She glanced sideways at Kameyo. "Only then will Daichi allow you to enter and reach his inner sanctum."

"And _then_ what?" Tasuki demanded.

"You will concentrate your ki and infuse Daichi with a significant portion of it. That will be enough to heal him and give you all the leverage you need to defeat Fujin once and for all. As long as Daichi is in this weakened state, he is vulnerable to being corrupted by Fujin. There will be no going back if that happens."

Tasuki rubbed his hands, anticipation building now that his goal was firmly in sight. "So…when do I get to set things on fire?"

Taiitsukun chuckled. "Ask Kameyo."

"Huh?" they said together. Tasuki whirled to face her; her cheek was starting to twitch as she clearly fought the urge to say something extremely inappropriate to Taiitsukun.

"Earlier I said purity of mind is crucial for entering Daichi's shrine, but the other requirement is _cooperation_. You need to be able to work together as an inseparable unit. If any one link in the chain is weakened, everything will crumble. Kameyo—" She fought back a flinch. "—your mental defenses are raised, and while that is understandable, all things considered, if you attempt to enter that shrine with your heart in such disarray, you'll inevitably give into the darkness and pull Chichiri and Tasuki down with you."

Kameyo flushed. "Let me remind you, _again,_ that I didn't ask to be included in this absurd little freak show."

"Da… _freak_?" Chichiri rubbed his arm. "But…I happen to think my mask is kind of cute, no da."

She whipped around, her hands raised defensively. "Chichiri-sama, t-that's not—oh come on, you _know_ what I meant!"

Tasuki threw his head back and cackled. "Yeah, what ya _really_ meant is that if all of this is a circus, me an' Chichiri are th' normal, well-adjusted, strapping young stallions an' _yer_ th' ornery two-headed donkey that makes all th' kids cry."

Kameyo's eyes darkened as she rolled up her sleeve. "Oh, _I'll_ show you ornery, you gaudy, pompous excuse of a man child—"

Chichiri sighed, rubbing his temples. "…This is going to be a fun few days, isn't it?"

Taiitsukun chuckled. "Indeed. Let's get started."


	10. The Faithful and The Damned

**Chapter Ten: The Faithful and the Damned**

They had no body, but they felt the pain—of betrayal, of embarrassment, of defeat. They slithered over the surface of their earthen prison, searching for a crack to escape through, but the chamber was sealed tight. Miles underground, not knowing which way was up or down, Fujin was trapped.

 _It will not end this way!_ they snarled. _It can't…_

No light could enter the cavern. They were utterly alone, except they could still feel Daichi's steady but feeble pulse, which surrounded them on all sides. Veins of the mountain god's ki flowed through the rock, preventing them from phasing through. Daichi was weak, that much was certain, but after being attacked by both the bandit and the wench who'd stolen their sister's energy, Fujin was even weaker.

A weird sensation suffused them—a phantom memory of a heart that no longer existed.

 _Meihou,_ they thought. _How did it come to this?_

They remembered her eerie violet eyes and lavender-colored hair—the eyes, at least, seemed to have been passed on to the woman, Kameyo. How or why hardly mattered, but somehow Meihou had managed to narrowly escape death all those years ago by passing her power onto a pathetic mortal.

The thought sent them trembling with rage all over again. Nothing of substance remained of their sister—they had checked. _Extensively._ What had been Meihou—her personality, her memories, her ambitions—were gone for good.

 _Good riddance,_ they growled, except their phantom heart disagreed.

 _She abandoned me for the god who betrayed me,_ they reminded themselves. _She abandoned me for Daichi. **She** ruined us, not me._

Then it was decided. _I will unseal the woman's power and use it to reclaim my glory once and for all._

 _ **…W-Who's there?**_

Fujin started. The voice that echoed in their mind was familiar, but distantly so. Suddenly, they remembered a body that was far too tight: a grizzled, bitter bandit whose resolve had crumbled under the weight of their influence—

 _Souta,_ Fujin thought gleefully.

The foolish Daichi had entombed them right underneath the stronghold. Perhaps Fujin couldn't get _out_ , not yet, but now they knew they were far from powerless.

 _Yer not talkin' ta anyone, dumbass_ , Fujin thought in the bandit's drawl. _Yer talkin' ta yerself._

A pause. _**Right. Shit, I must be goin' crazy,**_ Souta responded. _**Seems like th' stress is gettin' ta me.**_

 _Dunno 'bout that,_ Fujin thought. _Seems like yer th' only sane one 'round 'ere. I mean, jus' look at Kouji._

 _ **Yeah, that fucker! Tryna get us all killed.**_

 _You can save 'em all, though._

 _ **Yeah, but how? If I get rid of Kouji…then what? We're still trapped.**_

 _No,_ Fujin snapped, _yer not. All ya gotta do is walk out th' barrier. No one can stop ya._

 _ **What if th' demon's still out there?**_

Fujin wanted to grin. _The demon was causin' those weird quakes, weren't they? Ain't heard 'em since yesterday, have ya?_

 _ **Well…**_

 _Meanwhile yer surrounded by assholes on th' inside like Kouji. If ya ask me, ya'd be safer on th' outside._

 _'Sides…if ya leave th' barrier,_ Fujin continued, a slight purr accenting their thoughts, _you could be th' hero Reikaku needs ta beat that thing fer good. Then not even Kouji or Kashira would be able ta steer people against ya._

 _ **Oh yeah?**_

Fujin chuckled. _Yeah._

 _I will be free,_ they thought to themselves. _And I_ will _make Daichi pay_.

XXXXXX

In the farthest depths of a cave, a lone figure stood over a small pool of water. The surface was still, and so clear that it appeared as a glistening sheet of glass—an unobscured window into the world outside. Through it, Daichi watched a young woman with eerie violet eyes, a monk with gravity-defying blue hair, and a redheaded bandit kneel and pray as a young goddess—Nyan-Nyan, he recognized immediately—stood over them and dumped buckets of water over their heads. The redhead let out a stifled yelp as the water hit his bare back. Wisps of black smoke, barely visible in the darkness of the bathhouse, rose from his tanned skin.

"The evil karmas I have done with my body, voice, and mind are caused by greed, anger, and delusion, which are without a beginning," the monk chanted softly. "Before the Creator I now supplicate for my repentance."

"I repent of all sins, the cause of hindrances," the young woman intoned.

"I r-repent of all th' roots of s-sin," the redhead muttered, teeth chattering.

"In the name of the Creator, you are cleansed," the goddess whispered, waving her hand.

"Namo Amituofo," the three chanted as one.

Draped in a flowing white silk hanfu accented by golden thread and sash, the god waved his hand over the pool, and the still water was broken by choppy ripples before once more settling into a sheet. In the water, now, was a cavernous room lit by dozens of paltry lanterns. A small group of bandits were huddled near the far wall, their heads bowed as they talked. But Daichi heard them loud and clear.

"Ya know Kouji an' Anzu are hoarding all th' good food fer themselves," one of them whispered. "Hell, it's been _two days_. There definitely ain't enough food 'ere ta last us much longer. An' Genrou ain't nowhere to be found…as usual."

Another bandit nodded. "Yeah…was he ever really one of us? I mean, anytime that monk comes 'round or th' Dowager Empress calls fer 'im, he never seems th' least bit bothered by leavin', do he?" He snorted. "Kouji is more of a leader ta Reikaku than Genrou ever was."

"An' even _he_ ain't thinking straight," the third bandit said. "He'd slaughter ev'ry one of us if Genrou told him ta. Face it, Kentaro—we gotta look out fer ourselves. No one else is gonna do it fer us."

"So what are we gonna do?" the man called Kentaro said. "It ain't like we can _leave_." He glanced at the first bandit who'd spoken. "Souta?"

Souta smirked. "You jus' leave all that ta me."

Daichi narrowed his eyes. Shimmering dark smoke, invisible to the mortal eye, swirled around all three of the bandits, but it flared around this Souta person the most. Fujin had certainly been busy—the whole stronghold reeked of their scent.

The god flinched, grabbing his hand as pain lanced through his fingertips and up his arm. When he raised his palm for inspection, it had become translucent.

 _ **You cannot keep me locked away forever,** _Fujin snarled. Daichi could feel the festering cloud's ki pulsing with rage, from deep down in the earthen chamber where he had trapped them. Even in their intangible state, Fujin's acrid smoke seared the rock wherever it touched, causing small flashes of pain through Daichi's connection to the mountain. Reluctantly, and to only himself, he admitted that Fujin was right—he wouldn't be able to hold them for much longer. _**If you had any success at containing the wind, Meihou wouldn't be dead.**_

Daichi frowned as another flash of pain—this time purely emotional—licked his chest. His heart ached for everything he'd lost—and everything, it seemed, he still stood to lose.

 _Meihou,_ he thought. _My love. I am sorry._

The water rippled again, stilling to once more reveal the three warriors on Mt. Taikyoku. Kameyo stood across from Nyan-Nyan, her sword raised as the violet currents of air swirled around her. Several feet away, Taiitsukun hovered, her beady eyes watching the scene like a hawk. He felt a dull pang; here was his most spectacular failure, laid out for him in his final moments.

Even now, he could see how his story would end.

"I am sorry, my love," he murmured, gazing at Kameyo. "It would appear that I am already too late."

Taiitsukun turned her head, staring right into Daichi's eyes. With a frown and a wave of her hand, she forced her image and that of her sacred mountain sanctuary to dissolve into ripples. The pool darkened to cerulean blue, then to black.

Daichi furrowed his eyebrows and turned away. He knew he would never be able to reach the Sacred Realm again.

XXXXXX

Takako peeked around the corner, then quickly ducked back behind it at the sound of footsteps creaking on the old wood. Overnight, storm clouds had gathered, and now a thick blanket of gray covered the sky. The boy watched the clouds through the hallway's high windows, frowning in thought as he strained to hear the murmured voices coming from inside the room. He pressed his back to the wall and slid down to a sitting position.

"You jus' leave all that ta me," a low voice rasped.

Takako scowled. Souta was _definitely_ up to something.

Kouji hadn't specifically told him to spy on Souta, but he hadn't _discouraged_ it, either. Taking to heart Takako's earlier assertion that most adults looked straight through him, Kouji had told the boy in no uncertain terms that he needed him to be smart and cautious, "but if ya jus' _happen_ ta overhear somethin', I wouldn't mind knowin' 'bout it."

How fortunate that Takako still couldn't find his way around the stronghold and had come across Souta and company by accident.

Takako rubbed his collarbone and swallowed, his throat dry and scratchy despite the humid air. As much as he hated to admit it, he felt naked without his necklace, especially now. But if Kouji and Anzu could be competent fighters without using magic, then so could he. He patted the dagger at his side—this time, he'd be prepared.

Still, a shiver shot up his spine. When he'd talked to the bandit leader that morning through the dining hall mirror, Tasuki had said the demon god—Fujin—still wasn't dead. Which meant whomever they had possessed a few days ago could still be under their influence.

Fragmented memories invaded his head. _Shrill screams, pain, so much blood…_

Takako shook his head. Where had _that_ come from?

"I think I've found a way ta kill that demon once an' fer all," Souta continued. "Then we won't need ta be trapped in 'ere."

Kentaro snorted. " _Yer_ gonna kill that demon? Ya've lost yer mind."

"Nope. I know somethin' even Kouji don't—the demon's livin' in th' Reikaku main shrine. _That's_ its power source. Take out the shrines, ya take out th' demon."

Takako narrowed his eyes. _That_ didn't sound suspicious at all.

"So who's gonna volunteer ta go out there?" Kentaro snapped. " _You_?"

"Yeah," Souta said. "I'm gonna prove to these fuckers once an' fer all that I'm five times th' leader Genrou or Kouji ever was."

"But ya won't be able ta get back in," the third bandit said. "An' if ya encounter those demon wolves or whatever else is hangin' around, yer dead meat."

"Then we gotta get rid of th' barrier, then, that's all."

Takako's eyes widened as he clapped his hand over his mouth to silence his outburst of alarm. _What?!_

"Yer fuckin' crazy!" Kentaro spat. "This place is overrun by demons an' ya want us ta give 'em full access? I've been humorin' ya, Souta, but yer takin' this too far. If not fer Chichiri—"

"—Do ya remember anythin' from when ya were possessed, Ken?" Souta said.

"Eh?" Kentaro mumbled. "Ah, well…not really, no. I mean, kashira hit me pretty hard; wouldn't surprise me if he knocked th' memories straight outta me. Why?"

"'Cause _I_ do," Souta said. "Genrou knew we weren't in control, and he used his damn tessen on us anyway. Ryouga and Eiji's deaths are his fault."

Takako clenched his fist and rose to his knees. _Now wait just a minute!_

Kentaro snorted. "Ya gotta be shittin' me. What, twenty men are tryna kill 'im and ya think he should've jus' said, 'Ah, that's all right, I know ya don't mean it, go ahead an' shove that blade right inta my kidney'?"

Souta scoffed. "He's a godsdamned _seishi_. One o' th' most powerful men in th' whole country, if not th' world, an' he couldn't figure out a way ta defend himself without setting his own men on fire?"

Silence reigned. Takako had to bite his lip to keep himself from running in there and kicking Souta where the sun didn't shine. _Don't tell me they're actually_ falling _for this!_

"Well, I mean…" Kentaro stammered. "So he's a seishi. So what? He ain't perfect. No one is. Jus' let it go, will ya?"

"He had to choose between savin' himself an' savin' us an' he picked himself," Souta spat. "What makes ya think he wouldn't do it again?"

Takako shook his head. "If not for kashira, we'd _all_ probably be dead," he mumbled. His neck tingled in warning, and when he whipped his head around, Souta was leaning on the door frame, glaring down at him.

 _Fuck._

Takako stifled a cry of surprise and scrambled backward, but Souta's hand flashed out, clenching into the collar of the boy's shirt. "Oh no ya don't," he muttered, yanking Takako to his feet. Kentaro and the other bandits crowded around them as Souta scowled. "Shoulda known I couldn't trust ya, ya sorry lil' brat. After all, _yer_ th' reason that dirty bitch got in 'ere in th' first place."

Takako hissed and lashed out with his fist, which Souta easily caught in his free hand. "Don't talk about my mother that way, you piece of shit!" he snapped. "You're so stupid you don't even realize what's happening to you right now!"

Souta arched an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? An' what's that?"

"You're still under the demon's control!" Takako flailed and kicked fruitlessly. "You think you're the enlightened one, but you're just the only idiot dumb enough to fall for it!"

Souta reared his fist back and punched him in the stomach. Takako let out a strangled moan, his head bowing forward. "Ya good fer nothin' lil' brat! We did ya a favor by lettin' ya stay 'ere, an' _this_ is how ya repay us?"

"H-Hey," Kentaro said, lifting his hands in a placating gesture. "What th' fuck are ya doin'? He's a godsdamned kid." He shoved a hand through his hair and glanced down the hallway. " _Shit_ , Souta. Yer gonna get all of us thrown outta here."

"Do ya know how many of us are orphans, kid?" Souta said, leaning forward until their noses almost touched. Takako flinched away from his putrid breath. "Do ya know how many of us were tossed aside, abandoned, left ta die? We came ta Reikaku lookin' fer camaraderie, fer safety. Fer a chance ta prove we were worth somethin' a helluva lot more than what a bunch of rich snobs thought we were.

"And now our leader is actively causin' my family harm, an' ya think I'm 'sposed ta jus' let it go? _No._ I won't. Half th' time Genrou ain't even here," he said, glancing over his shoulder to address the small crowd. "He's out fightin' fer Suzaku, or the capital, an' leavin' us ta clean up his own messes. We're being attacked by a giant fuckin' demon as we speak, an' where th' fuck is he now?" He sneered, turning on Takako. "On Mt. Taikyoku, nice an' safe, livin' it up while we all starve ta death. That's th' leader Hakurou chose fer us."

"You think you're the _only_ one with problems?" Takako shot back. "I was an orphan, too. That doesn't give you the right to act like your pain is worse than everyone else's!"

Souta scowled and reared his fist back again. Takako flinched and squeezed his eyes shut, tensing in preparation for the blow.

"Stop right th' fuck there, ya sonuvabitch."

Souta's fist paused mere inches from Takako's face. They both turned around to see Kouji stomping toward them, his hands clenched at his sides. Takako let out a sigh of relief, and then a startled squawk as Souta dropped him to his feet.

"Is there a problem?" Souta said, folding his arms.

Kouji glanced at Takako and jerked his head; the boy wasted no time in scrambling to the relative safety of his side. "You tell me," the bandit drawled, mirroring Souta's aggressive stance. "Tell me somethin' Souta—did ya really think I wouldn't take issue with ya beatin' up on a lil' kid?"

"I don't really fuckin' care," Souta snarled. "Yer head is so far up Genrou's ass ya couldn't give the slightest fuck what happens ta th' rest of us. Ya wanna make me a villain? Fine. I'll play my role."

Indecision flashed across Kouji's dark face, and then he frowned. "Souta," he murmured. "This ain't you, buddy. Why don't ya jus' calm down so we can talk about this like adults, man ta man?"

Souta snorted. "What, more meditation? Fuck off."

"Remember when ya an' Buma were on patrol together last spring?" Kouji asked. "Buma wasn't payin' attention and fell into his own pit trap. Broke his leg, started howlin' like a cat in heat." He chuckled, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Remember what ya did, Souta?"

Souta visibly started, grimacing as some phantom pain raced through him. "Yeah," he grunted. "I called him a fuckin' idiot, grabbed a rope, and climbed down ta get 'im."

"The rope broke," Kouji continued. "Ya fell from halfway down and scrapped yerself all up on the rocks in the wall. Bleedin' everywhere. Ya tried to climb back up the wall ta grab the hangin' piece but yer hands were too slippery from th' blood. It was gettin' dark."

Takako watched Souta carefully. He was still frowning, but the furrow between his brows had become less severe.

"Do ya remember that, Souta?" Kouji prompted.

" _Of course_ I remember that!" Souta snarled. "I was th' only one of us that was there."

"All th' rest of us were gettin' drunk ta ring in th' new year, an' we didn't think much of it that ya were missin'," Kouji said. "But who noticed ya were gone an' came ta check on ya, Souta?"

A long moment passed before he gritted out, "Genrou."

"There's no way he could've known where ya were. But he stumbled around fer o'er an' hour, drunk off his ass, in th' dark, until he found yer footprints, an' then he grabbed his own rope, tied himself ta a tree, an' pulled ya up an' out before he jumped down ta get Buma 'imself." Kouji narrowed his eyes, bending forward at the waist. " _Why_ do ya think he did that, Souta?"

Souta glared at the ground. His shoulders were shaking.

"B-Because that's what family does," Takako muttered. "They…look out for each other." He gazed up at Kouji. "Right, Kouji-aniki?"

Kouji chuckled, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "That's right, kid." He glanced around the hallway. "I bet all of ya have stories like that. Where Genrou helped ya, with no concern fer his own safety, an' never asked fer nothin' in return. Which is why ya all should be ashamed of yerselves fer even considerin' the thought that he would ever abandon this mountain, or any of you."

He cracked his knuckles and took another step forward. "Ya wanna leave, Souta? Then leave. I ain't yer ma. But you lose any right ta call this yer 'family' if ya do." He glared at the bewildered faces around him. "An' that goes fer th' rest of ya, too!"

The hallway was silent. All eyes were on Souta as everyone waited with bated breath for his next move.

Souta sighed. "Yer right, Kouji."

Kouji's eyes widened for a brief moment before he schooled his expression into one of calm authority. "Ya think so, huh?"

"Genrou _did_ help me out that time. I remember it." He sneered. "Ya know what _else_ I remember?"

Kouji narrowed his eyes at Souta's hostile tone. "No. What?"

"I remember that when Hakurou was on his deathbed, Genrou disappeared fer months chasin' some bullshit cure. I remember that, while Hakurou was in no position ta lead an' had already passed his tessen an' his leadership onto Genrou, th' fool left us ta fend fer ourselves." Souta advanced on them slowly, his shoulders hunched forward as if he were a wild animal priming to strike. Kouji pressed his hand against Takako's chest and pushed the boy behind him. "I remember that, after Hakurou finally died, Genrou wasn't even here ta attend his funeral. An' I remember that, with no one here ta stop him, Eiken took the tessen fer himself an' nearly drove this stronghold inta th' ground before Genrou finally showed back up, _a whole damn year later_."

Takako's heart pounded in his chest. _Shit._ This wasn't going well.

Souta cocked his head. "Ya know what else I remember, Kouji?"

Kouji's mouth flattened into a thin line. He said nothing even as Takako felt his hand slowly slip between them for the dagger at his side.

"I remember that after all of that, he _still_ left," Souta spat. "He still went to fight fer Suzaku. Gone fer o'er a year— _another_ year, let me remind ya. An' then guess how many of our bandits died on that battlefield in Eiyou, tryin' ta help 'im durin' th' war?" Souta shook his head. "Way too many."

Takako's eyes widened. He'd never heard anything about Reikaku bandits on the battlefield, but then again, he and his mother had fled the city not too long after the war started.

He glanced sideways at Kouji, waiting for him to refute any of the stupid claims Souta had made…but the man's face was sad, his eyes closed as he shook his head. Takako's heart stammered. _So then…all of that…it's true?_

Kouji sighed. "Souta—"

"— _I'm_ not th' one ya need ta be preachin' ta about family an' loyalty, Kouji," Souta hissed. "The Reikaku bandits have _always_ been here fer Genrou. Too bad we can't say th' same fer him."

Tension crackled in the air as thunder boomed outside. Takako's gaze flicked about the hall. Even more bandits had gathered to hear Souta's speech since this had all began, and now at least half the stronghold was here. Many of the bandits seemed conflicted, but there were also clenched fists and fierce frowns. Sad, hurt, or empty eyes.

With a start, Takako realized that although many of the bandits who stood before them now, hanging on Souta's every word, were the bandits who'd been attacked by Fujin, just as many hadn't come in contact with the demon at all.

In Reikaku's darkest hour, it wasn't solely a demon that would break them—it was the feeling that they had been abandoned by the one man they had respected the most.

"Souta," Kouji groaned. His body had seemed to deflate. "I'm sorry that ya feel like this—really, I am. But yer not thinkin' clearly, pal. Bein' possessed by a demon, it messes with ya. It makes ya cling ta doubts and frustrations that don't even really matter or don't exist." He offered his hand to him. "Let me help you. I can—"

"—Th' demon doesn't control me anymore," Souta said. "But you know what, Kouji? If bein' possessed was what it took to see th' light in all this, then I'll thank that demon fer it every day."

Kouji jerked his hand back, looking like he'd just been punched in the stomach. " _Fuck_ , Souta—"

Takako yelped as hands wrapped around his arms from behind, trapping him. A hoarse scream reverberated from beside him, and he whipped his head to see Kouji holding a dagger dripping with blood. One of the bandits lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his bleeding hand. Three more men advanced on Kouji, driving him back toward the wall.

"I'm sorry, Souta," Kouji murmured, his gaze still trained on the man standing across from him even as Souta's supporters continued their advance. "I really am. I want ta help ya, but I won't let ya make me or Genrou into th' scapegoats fer all this, either."

Souta smirked. "Yer gonna wanna drop that weapon, 'fore someone else gets hurt."

"Yeah?" Kouji taunted. "If ya don't cut this shit out, th' next one's gonna be _you_!"

Souta's eyes tracked to somewhere off behind them. "Or _her_ , actually."

Kouji stiffened. Pure rage contorted his usually kind face before he whirled around, and whatever he saw made him inhale sharply. "Anzu…"

Takako glanced over his shoulder. She'd been gagged with her arms yanked roughly behind her back. Her pale throat was covered in fresh bruises, her brown hair a tangled mess on top of her head. Judging by the condition of the bandit who held her captive, she'd fought, and fought hard. He was covered in cuts and bruises and his right eye was swollen shut, but she was still a noble warrior; she had to play by the rules. He didn't.

Her eyes were wide and glassy as she looked at Kouji. Even Takako could tell what that look meant: _I'm sorry._

Kouji's hands trembled with rage. "Ya hurt one hair on her head, an' I _swear_ —"

"Genrou's too selfish, an' yer too soft," Souta said, walking toward Anzu. He reached out to trail a finger along her jawline and she flinched, her expression murderous. "Hakurou would've wanted better. So in his place, I'm gonna make sure we get it."

Souta glanced around the room, smirking at the grim expressions of approval he found there. "Take all three of 'em. It's time to make this right."

Takako fought the urge to sob in frustration as Kentaro walked up to Kouji with a length of rope, his gaze directed at the floor. Kouji glared at him, waiting for the moment the coward would look him in the eye, but Kentaro offered no such concession. He locked Kouji's wrists in a viselike grip and began tying them in an intricate knot. Takako grimaced as someone moved behind him and repeated the same process.

"Don't worry, kid," Kouji said, his expression apologetic but firm. "I'll get us outta this. I promised yer ma I'd protect ya, an' I will."

Takako nodded, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. A lump had formed in his throat, dread dulling his senses and making his mind sluggish. Through the window, he saw a streak of lightning flash across the sky.

Souta smiled. "Let's take 'em fer a walk."

xxxxxx

Outside, the air felt charged with static. The dry ground crunched beneath their feet as they passed through the stronghold's front gates and into the field beyond. Takako glanced up at the sky. The clouds were darker, now: a foreboding steel gray that promised a long, violent rain. Idly, the boy wondered if the barrier would shield them from it. It didn't matter, either way.

Souta was leading them toward the forest.

"What exactly are we doin'?" Kentaro murmured to Souta. They were traveling just ahead of Takako, Kouji, and Anzu. "Are we _really_ about ta risk our lives fer… _what_? Ta prove a damn point?" His hands gestured wildly, his lips curled into a sneer. "This mountain's crawlin' with demons."

"They won't hurt us," Souta said. "If we give them these three as a sacrifice, they'll leave us alone."

"But how do ya _know_ that?"

Takako watched Souta closely. He wondered the same thing.

"Don't worry about that," he snapped. "Focus on th' task at hand. Ya ain't goin' soft on me too, are ya?"

Kentaro blanched. "N-No…I mean, I get it. Everythin' ya said 'bout Genrou was true. But…murderin' Kouji? Anzu? A kid?" He ducked his head, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "This jus' seems so…"

Souta ignored him, coming to a stop right at the barrier's edge. The dark forest rose up ominously in front of them. "Is everyone ready?" he shouted. Five other bandits had volunteered to leave the stronghold with them; the rest would stay behind and wait for further orders…and keep whomever was stupid enough to try to defend Kouji at bay. "Keep yer weapons at th' ready. If anythin' comes runnin' at ya, use 'em at will. Eyes on the prize."

A few scattered nods. Takako gulped.

"Souta," Kouji snarled. "This isn't gonna end th' way ya want it ta. I guarantee, if yer fuckin' with this demon, it's gonna fuck with ya right back!"

Souta grinned back at him, jerking his chin. "Let's go."

A hand pushed Takako forward. He stumbled, then glared back at the burly man towering over him. His gaze flicked to Kouji's, but the bandit simply shook his head. _Let it go._

Taking a deep breath, Takako started walking. Souta and Kentaro slipped through the barrier, and then it was his turn. Takako pushed his head through, and then his shoulders, and soon he was standing wholly on the other side, his skin still tingling from the powerful energy that had crackled over his body. Kouji followed close behind, and then Anzu, until all ten of them were out in the open field. His eyes widened in horror as he took in their surroundings.

Huge strips of earth had been torn asunder, small trees and bushes toppled by a large, gaping crack that started about fifty feet in front of them and then zigzagged down the mountain's slope. The lucky trees still standing around it didn't look much better off—many of their leaves were yellowish brown and withered, small piles of dead foliage collecting at their bases.

A low, droning noise filled the air as they walked farther into the forest. Takako narrowed his eyes and strained to hear it, trying to determine what it was and where it was coming from. A strangled sound escaped his mouth as recognition dawned in his brain.

 _Growling._ Something, many somethings, were _growling._

 _Flashes of pain, screams. Rivers and rivers of blood…_

"Oh gods," Takako whimpered, trembling. " _Oh gods_ , we're going to die." His voice raised to a high pitch that burned his throat. "Oh my gods, they're going to eat us. _We're going to die_!"

The growls rose higher, louder.

The hand slammed hard into Takako's back, propelling him forward again.

"Takako," Kouji barked. "Look at me, kid."

Shuddering, Takako met Kouji's gaze. The man's brown eyes were so calm…how could he be so damn _calm_?

"Kouji-aniki," Takako whispered fervently. "What do we _do_?"

"Yer gonna be fine, kid." Kouji's eyes flicked to his left, then back to Takako.

Takako whimpered. "Aniki, I-I d-don't think I'm s-s-strong enough to do this on my own."

Kouji's eyes flicked left again. "Yer fine," he murmured, still looking away. "We're all gonna be jus' _fine_ , okay? If I know anythin', it's that me an' Genrou always know how ta avoid gettin' ourselves killed. Jus' keep quiet an' don't freak out."

"Easy for you to say!" Takako snapped. His high voice bounced off the trees. "How can you be so _calm_ about this? Don't you hear those demons growling? We're going to be their next meal!"

Kouji frowned at him briefly before his gaze returned to whatever had caught his attention by his side.

" _And what the fuck are you staring at_?" Takako hissed.

Kouji's head whipped around, his eyes wide as he glared at Takako. "Shut. _Up_ ," he hissed between clenched teeth, "an' _Keep_. Walkin'."

Takako stumbled on the uneven ground as he stared in disbelief at Kouji. When the man finally turned away again, Takako had no choice but to hang his head and continue marching toward his death.

 _Kaa-san,_ Takako thought. _Kashira. Where are you?_

They'd said they needed a couple more days…that was yesterday. But they wouldn't last another hour, let alone another day.

 _I'm sorry, Mama,_ Takako thought, tears pricking his eyes. _I was wrong. I still need you._

 _Please, **please** don't let me die._

"Here's a nice place ta stop," Souta announced, hands on his hips. They were standing in a clearing destroyed by gaping chasms much like the ones they'd seen in front of the stronghold. Up ahead, a large cave protected by a torii bore grotesque wounds that had been carved into the surrounding rock.

 _ **Stay Firm,**_ a voice whispered to him over an electric hum. Takako jerked and let out a startled gasp. _**Trust Your Instincts. Trust Your Friends.**_

 _Friends?_ Takako thought with a snort. _Everyone here wants to kill me._

 _ **Not Everyone.**_

Takako's gaze immediately strayed to Kouji, who seemed lost in thought, his eyes closed as his chest rose and fell with deep, even breaths. In the corner of his eye, Takako saw a flash of white, and he turned his head. Kentaro met his gaze full-on, and Takako glared back with as much venom as he could muster. But then, so subtly Takako almost didn't catch it, Ken jerked his chin to the right, back toward Kouji. Takako's eyes widened.

 _What the hell is going on?!_

He was trying to tell him something. But what?

Takako glanced sideways at Kouji. He was staring for a long time before he realized there was something… _odd_ about the way the bandit's wrists were bound behind him. While Takako's arms had been forced straight, Kouji's were relaxed, a slight bend at both elbows and his wrists touching, but not uncomfortably so. Takako's heart stuttered. Hadn't _Kentaro_ been the one who tied Kouji up?

Kouji was holding something in his hand. Takako looked quickly away.

Reluctantly, Takako closed his eyes and focused on his breathing—nice, deep, and slow, until his racing heart started to calm and the thick fog began to recede from his mind. _Okay, so I'm not freaking out as much anymore,_ he thought sarcastically. _Now what?_

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

Takako blinked his eyes open. _Huh?_

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

Takako stretched his back and shoulders, using the long, exaggerated movements as a cover so he could safely glance behind him. Anzu stood with her shoulders hunched forward, her eyes closed while the bandit behind her still held her arms in a vise grip.

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

Takako rolled his neck and shoulders the other way and zeroed in on Anzu again. Her foot was moving.

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

The same rhythmic taps, over and over, with an equal amount of space between each set. Her shoes looked like the standard boots that all bandits wore, but something was unique about the toe—her foot made a soft _'click'_ every time it hit the rocky ground, as if the sole was reinforced with some kind of metal. He glanced at Kouji in the corner of his eye, his ears straining.

Kouji sighed, rolled his shoulders, and scuffed the side of his boot against the ground, making the same delicate _'click.'_

They were communicating. But how the hell was he supposed to know _what_ they were saying?

"So now what?" Kentaro drawled. "We're jus' standin' here. What's yer game plan, Souta?"

Souta crossed his arms behind his back. "We wait. They'll be here soon."

Kentaro raised his eyebrows. "' _They_?'"

"We need somethin' to entice them ta help us," Souta replied. "That's what our lovely sacrifices are for."

"Ya keep sayin' that. But who the fuck is—"

A loud roar shook the ground beneath them.

Souta grinned. "There's yer answer."

Kentaro gaped as he backed away. "Yer…ya sonuvabitch. Don't tell me—"

The ground trembled as a beast lumbered toward them through the trees.

"Souta," Kentaro pleaded. "Ya can't jus' hand 'em over ta a demon! Yer messin' with somethin' much bigger than any o' us. Yer gonna get us all killed!"

Souta narrowed his eyes. "Is that really how ya feel?"

"Yer damn right, it is! Stop this fuckin' nonsense an' listen ta what Kouji's been tellin' ya: _We're_ not th' enemy, here!"

Kouji's eyes popped open, his face draining of all its color. He tapped his foot again, twice this time.

Anzu's soft answer was the same: _Tap. Tap. Tap._

"' _We_?'" Souta mocked, stalking toward Kentaro. His brown eyes were flat. "I thought _we_ agreed we were on th' same page."

Kentaro was pale now too, having realized his grave mistake. "W-We are!" He lifted his hands and backed away, but he couldn't contain his panic. It only emphasized his betrayal. "But _come on_ , Souta, think about what yer—"

It happened so fast.

Souta lashed out and wrapped his arm around Kentaro's throat, a maniacal grin stretching his cheeks. "Do ya think I'm stupid?" he whispered fiercely. "Do ya think I wouldn't notice?"

Kentaro squinted his eyes, his hands clawing futilely at his throat. "S-Sou…please—"

"Thank you, brother," Souta said. "I promise yer death won't be in vain."

He pulled a dagger from a side holster and slit Kentaro's throat.

xxxxxx

Souta pulled away, and Kentaro fell to his knees, his neck spurting blood all over the front of his white shirt. He grasped at his shredded throat as he wheezed, his tan skin going pale, then blue, before his eyes dimmed and he collapsed to the ground. He twitched once, then went still.

Takako let out a whimper, then bit his tongue. The pain lanced through him, serving as the distraction he needed to keep from falling apart.

 _Stay sharp. Focus. You can't break down. Not now._

Kouji's eyes were glassy, his cheek twitching as he seethed. But he didn't move, and neither did Anzu. Her shoulders trembled and tears poured down her cheeks, but her eyes were hard. Her foot tapped the ground again.

 _Tap. Tap._

Two taps this time. A countdown?

Kouji's eyes narrowed as he tapped back. An agreement?

"I humbly offer ya yer first sacrifice," Souta called to the trees, gesturing to Kentaro's corpse. "But I promise there'll be more. _Many_ more."

The heavy footsteps and the growls were getting closer.

Takako glanced around. Some of the bandits near him had swords strapped to their sides. Would he be able to grab one before this went sour?

His gaze turned to the forest, back in the way they'd come. Would he be able to run for it, even in the dark, even with the rough terrain and his unfamiliarity with the landscape?

 _Kaa-san, I don't know if I can do this. I wish you were here._

The growls surrounded them from all sides. With a gasp, Takako realized there was nowhere to go—even if they could escape Souta and his lackeys, the barrier was blocking their way back to the stronghold. They were stuck out here, surrounded by demons and with no weapons to speak of.

They were going to die.

An electric hum filled his ears, drowning out the bloodthirsty noises in the distance. But this time, instead of a voice, he was suffused with a sense of warmth, of protection, and instinctively he whirled to face the cave—the cave with the rotten torii and the scarred façade. Somehow he knew that in there he would be safe; in there the demons couldn't get him and he and Kouji and Anzu would stay alive, even if Kentaro would never open his eyes again, and… _oh gods, Kentaro,_ he'd been on their side the whole time, hadn't he, and he'd risked his life for them only to die here, by his own brother's hand, only for his corpse to lie here in disgrace, abandoned, to be ripped apart by demons who would leave behind only fragments of bone and trails of blood, if that, and no one would ever know that he had died a hero.

Takako's vision blurred as he stomped the ground with the heel of his foot.

Kouji and Anzu turned to face him, and he jerked his chin in a quick, surreptitious motion toward the cave. Kouji nodded, and then Anzu tapped the ground—this time only once. It was such a genius system; the sound was so soft that you'd never notice it if you hadn't already been attuned to it. And even though the cacophony around them now drowned the clicking out, the movement of her foot was still distinct enough to serve as a signal all on its own.

Kouji tapped, once, back and glanced sideways at Takako.

Takako nodded. _Wait for the opportunity,_ he translated, _then run like hell._

A huge demon burst through the trees. All but Souta backed away, horrified by the sight of the massive lizard-like creature, which had half a dozen arms sprouting from its back. Kouji freed his wrists with his hidden knife and flung it across the field—it found a home in Anzu's captor, and she wrenched herself free as he wrapped his hands around the hilt sticking from his chest. The ropes slid from her wrists as she lunged forward and kicked another bandit in the chin. She reached up and ripped the gag from her mouth.

Distracted by the chaos, the bandit nearest Takako gave no resistance when the boy rammed into his side, slid his sword from the scabbard, and sprinted toward the cave. He heard screams, but he couldn't spare a glance; he could only hope and pray that Kouji and Anzu would be okay.

Something sharp hit him in the back, and Takako screamed as pain seared him from his shoulders down to his waist.

"Keep runnin', kid!" Kouji bellowed. "I've got ya!"

The earth splintered around them, throwing Takako off balance. He pitched forward, but a strong arm wrapped around his waist and hoisted him over a shoulder. They were closing in on the cave. Kouji slipped on the smooth rock as he passed under the torii, and they both gasped as an electric charge set their hairs on end. Kouji sprinted the last few feet and skidded to a stop in the cavern's mouth.

He turned on his heel, Takako still flopping uselessly over his shoulder. "Anzu! _Hurry_!"

She'd stolen a liuyedao off one of the bandits; her face was splattered with someone's blood. A demon wolf was gaining on her. She glanced behind her just long enough for her to miss the dip in the ground and trip. She crashed to the ground, scraping her palms on the jagged rocks that jutted up from the dirt.

"ANZU!" Kouji shouted.

She stared with wide eyes as the wolf lunged. She flinched and curled into a ball.

 _BOOM._

Cracks emerged in the ground all around her, and then a chasm opened up right under the wolf's hind legs. It let out a yelp as it fell, its front paws clawing frantically at the crumbling earth. Anzu scooted backward on her butt, then stumbled to her feet and ran full tilt toward the torii and safety.

Takako watched as the wolf finally lost its battle with gravity and tumbled into the abyss below.

Kouji dropped Takako to his feet and raced back outside to Anzu. She limped underneath the torii, and she stumbled again as the electricity zapped her body. Kouji caught her easily, lifting her into his arms and hurrying back to the cave.

"It's all right," he murmured to her. "I've got ya."

Anzu buried her face in his neck. "K-Kou…Kou—" Sobs wracked her shoulders. "K-Ken—"

Takako stared blankly out at the forest. Some of the demons slithered or paced in front of the gate, but none of them could get past the force field. A boar demon was crunching on something. His stomach lurched when he realized it was a _hand._

Takako spun around and crashed to his knees, emptying his stomach all over the cave floor.

"Kaa-san," he moaned after he finished, tears and snot clogging his windpipe. "F-Fuck, how could he do that…weren't they f-friends?"

Arms slipped around his waist, and Takako sobbed harder as Anzu pulled him against her, his head cradled against her chest. It wasn't quite right—she was slimmer, and shorter, than his mother, but her concern was genuine. Takako closed his eyes and tried to pretend.

"What are we going to _do_ , Kouji?" Anzu whispered. "Genrou an' Chichiri-sama won't be back for _days_."

Kouji stared out at the forest, his shoulders stiff. The sound of rushing water reached them from somewhere deep down in the cave. They sat there in silence for who knew how long, listening to the cruel, chaotic world march on around them.

Outside, the sound of twisted laughter.

"Tear it down!" Souta bellowed. "Tear it _all_ down!"

 _CRACK!_ Takako flinched at the noise. He couldn't describe it—it sounded like shattering glass, screams of pain, sighs of _hopelessness_ all at once. The electricity hummed in his ears again, loud enough that he winced, and then it faded and disappeared entirely.

Kouji and Anzu stared at each other, so much being communicated in just that one glance—love, sadness…heartbreak. Anzu shook her head and pressed her fist to her mouth.

Takako licked his lips, a deep sense of foreboding filling his chest. "What… _was_ that?" His throat was impossibly dry; every instinct in him was telling him to run, but there was nowhere else to go.

Kouji sighed, leaning his back heavily against the cave wall. "That, kid, was th' sound of our last defense crashin' ta th' ground," he said dully, his eyes trained on the floor.

Takako paled. "That…was the _barrier_?"

Kouji closed his eyes and shook his head, which was answer enough.

Vicious roars echoed through the trees.

Takako's eyes widened. "That…without the barrier…we don't stand a chance, do we? R-Reikaku doesn't…and _oh gods_ , the other bandits. They'll be—"

 _"We don't want him here!" A high-pitched feminine voice shrieked. "Get rid of him or we will."_

He squeezed his eyes shut. How had it all gone so wrong, so fast?

"We have to go back!" Takako shouted. "Without the barrier, the demons are gonna overrun the stronghold! And anyone still left is gonna start getting poisoned again!"

"So what, exactly, are ya proposin' we do about it?" Kouji grumbled. "Ya want me ta take down a fifty-foot demon, kid? 'Cause I'm not exactly optimistic!"

"We have to do _something_! We can't just leave all of them there to die! If we do, we'll just be proving Souta right! Their lives aren't worth any less than ours are!"

"Baka!" Anzu snapped, shaking him. "You have _no_ idea—"

"Anzu, it's okay," Kouji said, scowling. "He's jus' a stupid kid. He don't understand what he's really sayin'."

"Yes, I do! If you're too scared to do it, then…send me! I can…I can warn them! I can tell them about this cave, and then they'll be able to make their way here!"

"An' what happens if ya _don't_ make it there an' back, kid? What happens if one of them wolves get ya? Then ya know what's gonna happen? I'm gonna end up runnin' ta save ya, an' then we'll _both_ end up dead.

"I'm sorry ya gotta learn this lesson today, Takako," Kouji murmured. "But ya can't… _shit_." He rubbed a hand over his eyes and sighed. "Ya can't…save everyone."

"But that's…that's not—"

"I asked Ken ta keep an eye on Souta," Kouji said, "as soon as I realized he was takin' th' attack so hard. I figured some words of encouragement and common sense would mean more comin' from him than from me. I asked him to win his trust, do whatever it took, an' that meant he ended up lookin' like a traitor.

"But he tied my wrists in the flimsiest fuckin' knot he could, an' left my dagger on me even though he should've taken it," Kouji whispered. "I'm alive 'cause of that, but…he's _dead_."

Anzu sobbed. "Kouji…"

"Ya joined th' bandits 'cause ya wanted ta learn how ta be a leader, right, kid?" Kouji lifted his arms wide, gesturing around him. "Well…this is part of it. As much as I wanna go back…we gotta do whatever it takes ta make sure Reikaku's barrier don't go down. 'Cause if it does…a whole lot more people are gonna lose their lives than jus' our guys."

"But…if we can't even protect our friends…how do we protect the mountain?"

Kouji pointed down into the cavern's depths. "Genrou says th' god of the mountain lives down there, an' he ain't doin' so hot. So I guess that means we're goin' on a lil' adventure."

"B-But he also said that no one has ever entered that cave and come out _alive_ ," Anzu stressed.

"You got a better idea? 'Cause I sure would love ta hear it, _Amai-chan_."

She glared mildly at him.

"Whatever it takes, Anzu," he said quietly.

Anzu sighed. "I know," she whispered. "I just hope Genrou and Chichiri can get back here in time."

"They will," Kouji said with a smile. "They always do."

Something about the tense set of Kouji's shoulders told Takako the bandit didn't fully believe that.

And now, after listening to Souta…neither did he.


	11. For All That is Lost

**Chapter Eleven: For All That Is Lost**

Souta stared at the blood dripping down his hand as another roar rent the air.

 _I had to do it,_ he thought. _I had ta. If I hadn't…_

What? What would've happened if he hadn't just killed his friend, his brother, in cold blood?

 ** _He would've stopped ya,_ **his subconscious told him. **_He would've ruined everythin'._**

The wolves had descended on Kentaro's corpse—Souta avoided looking in that direction, but he heard the unmistakable crunching of marrow and bone, the growls of satisfaction and the wet smacking of tongues and jaws.

Unease settled like a searing rock in his gut.

 _ **If not for Kouji, Kentaro would still be alive.**_

The thought arrived unbidden in his brain…but so many of his reflections came this way, now. He was just thinking clearer, that's all.

He grasped onto that flimsy line of reasoning— _this is Kouji and Genrou's fault, not mine_ —and let it consume him. Rage festered like toxin within him until all vestiges of guilt and pain had vanished without a trace.

Kouji had run away like the coward he was; Genrou was still nowhere to be found. Reikaku was all he had, and he wouldn't let anyone—not even a friend—come between him and saving his mountain.

But how did the _demons_ factor into that?

The bandits were still too afraid, too committed to Genrou and Kouji. If Souta had any hopes of exposing all of them to the truth, he needed to prove that he was strong enough to run things on his own. But…he glanced warily back at what remained of Kentaro's body. _Was_ he strong enough?

 ** _Ya have control over th' demon, don't ya? Then that means ya control th' bandits, too._**

Souta started to laugh; _of course_ it was that simple! _Of course._

"T-Tear it down!" he shouted, gesturing toward the gleaming red barrier that rose up in front of the stronghold. The massive lizard demon lifted its head and flicked its forked tongue. Blood dribbled down its maw. "Tear it _all_ down!" A macabre chorus of growls and hisses filled the clearing.

"Do this fer me, an' soon, Mt. Reikaku will be ours," Souta muttered. He blinked and shook his head. _Ours?_ he thought. _Yeah, I need th' barrier down, but ain't no way I'd ever partner with—_

With enthusiastic roars, the demons threw themselves repeatedly at the barrier. Electric static filled the air, combined with a low-grade, droning noise, and Souta's hairs stood on end at the immense power being forced into the atmosphere by the overwhelming assault.

 _I'm…th' only one who can save Reikaku._

As large, glowing white cracks arched through the barrier, Souta repeated that line over and over in his brain until he had no choice but to believe it as truth.

XXXXXX

"Oh, _come on_ —this is jus' embarrassin'."

Kameyo glared at Tasuki, wiping the sweat from her lip as she shook out her legs.

"Again," Taiitsukun ordered.

Kameyo inhaled sharply and focused on the energy rushing through her body. Keeping her arms stiff at her sides, she closed her eyes and imagined her ki exploding outward, coalescing in a massive vortex in front of her. Every muscle in her body, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet, was tensed in concentration.

Nothing happened.

She groaned and cracked an eye open. "Why can't I use my swords, again?"

"Because you're using them as an offensive aid without knowing _why_ or _how,_ " Taiitsukun said. "You rely on the momentum of swinging your sword to create a surge through the air. You cannot manipulate the wind entirely on your own, so the sword becomes a conductor of sorts for your ki. I suppose it is not dissimilar to laying down kindling before striking a piece of flint." She jabbed a finger in Kameyo's direction. "But that wouldn't be necessary if you learned how to channel your power consciously."

She glanced at the twin broadswords, sheathed and leaning against the far wall. She felt naked without them: vulnerable. "This is how I've _always_ done it," she muttered under her breath, but the God of all Creation had no trouble hearing her.

"Well," Taiitsukun said flatly, "the way you've been doing it is wrong."

Kameyo snorted. "Ah yes, because when a goddess assaulted me and forced me to absorb her ki at only eight years old, it was my _technique_ that should've been priority. Of course."

Her heart felt heavy at the memories that washed over her—the nausea, headaches, vomiting. Suddenly having powers that she had no idea how to use, powers that had viciously disabled her whenever she'd tried to learn.

She owed everything to those swords, and the man who taught her how to use them. It pissed her off to no end that anyone, god or not, would dare question their—and in turn _her—_ effectiveness.

Taiitsukun harrumphed. "Your sarcasm won't help you here, Kameyo."

"Can you at least explain why I feel like I'm about to die and I haven't even moved a muscle?" Kameyo asked. "Or why I should be enthusiastic about doing things with my body that will make me have headaches and cough up blood? Or even why doing those things makes me cough up blood in the first place?" She snorted. "Oh wait, I forgot. You don't care."

Taiitsukun's steely gaze studied her. "…I see. Anger and sarcasm are your defense mechanisms. You turn to them when you feel vulnerable."

Kameyo propped a hand on her hip. "Hm, you could say that about a lot of people. What's your point?"

"Perhaps that is how we break through to you."

Kameyo scowled. "What are you—?"

"Nyan-Nyan!" Taiitsukun shouted, making Kameyo jump.

The small, cherubic goddess appeared with a puff of pink smoke. "Yes, Taiitsukun-sama!" She gave a stiff salute.

"You are now responsible for Kameyo's training. Do _not_ relent until you break through that wall."

Kameyo gawked at them, taking a step back. "Are you _joking_ right now?"

"Oh fer Suzaku's sake, it ain't like she's gonna kill ya or somethin'," Tasuki said from his place on the floor. His arms were folded behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. "It ain't _her_ fault yer ornery attitude is keepin' ya from learnin' anythin'."

Kameyo laughed out loud. "That's rich, coming from you." She gestured toward him, looking at Taiitsukun. "How come he gets to just sit there being critical? Shouldn't _he_ be training, too?"

"I've got five years on ya when it comes ta survivin' supernatural woo-hoo," Tasuki drawled as he bounced his leg. "Gonna take ya a while ta catch up."

She glared at him, a biting retort on the tip of her tongue, but she relented. Men like him needed constant attention, so that was the one thing she would make sure not to give him. Still…she thought back to their interactions earlier that day, when they'd used Chichiri's mirror to communicate with Kouji and Takako on Reikaku. Hearing about the chaos erupting on the mountain made her whole body feel as heavy as lead, but the feeling had been alleviated by touching Tasuki, who'd acted as a solid anchor to reality while her fear and worry threatened to engulf her. But that was silly, right? Of all the people, why would Tasuki—

 _"Pay attention!"_ Taiitsukun barked. Kameyo's head snapped up just in time to see Nyan-Nyan's body suffused with a bright, golden-white glow. Her silhouette stretched until she was nearly as tall as Kameyo, and then the light faded to reveal a young woman holding a gun staff. Nyan-Nyan crouched into a battle-ready stance.

Kameyo's eyes widened. "How in the world—"

Nyan-Nyan was charging at her before she could finish.

Letting out a curse, Kameyo ducked the swinging staff and dropped to a crouch. She swept her leg out to trip the goddess, but Nyan-Nyan jumped backward just in time and swung again—this time, the staff whacked Kameyo in the shoulder. The gun was made of bamboo, hollow and flexible, but it still stung from the force of Nyan-Nyan's blow. Kameyo sprang to her feet and glanced at her swords again.

"NO weapons!" Nyan-Nyan said, twirling her staff casually. "You want to beat Nyan-Nyan, you have to do it the right way!"

Kameyo grunted. "How about I just walk away and forget this ridiculous thing ever happened?"

Nyan-Nyan frowned. "Hmmmm…Because that worked out so well for you before, ne?"

Her whole body stiffened. "If you're trying to goad me, it won't work."

Nyan-Nyan smiled impishly. "You're not ve-ry goooood at ly-ing," she said in a singsong voice.

Her hands clenched into fists, Kameyo sprang forward.

Whistling a carefree tune, Nyan-Nyan dodged Kameyo's fist, spun on her heel, and jabbed the woman, hard, in the back with the end of her staff. Kameyo stumbled forward, then caught herself in time to kick out with her non-dominant foot. Nyan-Nyan blocked with her staff and pushed Kameyo back. She switched to a new tune.

"I don't feel you concentrating your ki," Taiitsukun said.

Kameyo gritted her teeth. Nyan-Nyan bounced back and forth on her tiptoes, her whistling becoming more and more enthusiastic (and annoying) as Kameyo dodged or stumbled through blow after blow without landing any of her own.

"You can do it, no da!" Chichiri called out from the other side of the room. "Your powers aren't an extension of your weapon, no da, they're an extension of _you_. Just concentrate on releasing your energy in the same way!"

Kameyo jumped over the swinging staff and brought her hand to her gemstone. Touching its warm surface immediately set all her hairs on end; crackling energy swirled inside of her, begging to be used. But her heart started racing at the mere thought of it. _Why_ , though? If she didn't need a sword to direct her energy into, why did the prospect of calling on the wind without one scare her so damn much?

She jerked backward as Nyan-Nyan jabbed at her again; she felt the breeze against her cheek as the weapon sailed past her.

 _Just…come on, already!_ She swept out with her hand, imagining a gust of wind following the arc of her arm, but nothing happened. She growled under her breath. _Can't something go right for me, just once?_

Nyan-Nyan's eyes began to glow, and then her image shifted. Six adult Nyan-Nyans surrounded Kameyo in a loose circle, all wielding identical staves. The original Nyan-Nyan waved her hand over her own staff, and it glowed white before transforming into an elegant saber.

Kameyo's cheek twitched. Apparently not.

The sword-wielding Nyan-Nyan sprang forward, and with a squawk Kameyo phased just as the saber sliced toward her arm. Kameyo spun on her heel and kicked out, clipping Nyan-Nyan on the jaw. The two women sprang apart, and then Kameyo squawked again as a hand fisted in her shirt from behind and lurched her off her feet.

 _Fuck! I forgot about the other ones._

She phased again and somersaulted away. The Nyan-Nyan copies surrounded her, twirling their gun staves while the original advanced on her again with the saber.

This was ridiculous! She needed to be on _Reikaku_ , protecting her son, not standing here getting shoved around by weird pink-haired, shape-shifting children!

"If I were ya," a voice called from behind her, "I'd think 'bout fightin' back right 'bout now."

Kameyo's cheek twitched again. _Don't look that way don't look that way—_

"Shit, at th' very least, ya could learn how ta do a proper _parry_ ," Tasuki said. "Ya can't always depend on yer weapon bein' there, ya know."

Kameyo gritted her teeth. _Says the man who couldn't last three seconds without—_ A flash of pink entered her peripheral vision, and she lurched backward in the nick of time, her eyes wide.

Kameyo flinched as the blade sliced through her shirt, creating a long, thin wound that slowly oozed blood. Nyan-Nyan swung again, and Kameyo jumped sideways, narrowly avoiding another slice. She leapt backward again and again as Nyan-Nyan stabbed at her—

An electric jolt shot up her spine, and she stiffened as she felt something slide down her chest and clatter to the floor. She glanced behind her, and her eyes widened. _My necklace!_

Nyan-Nyan's blade had cut through the chains, and her gemstones sat on the ground nearby…one of which she was never supposed to take off.

She glanced quickly at the goddesses surrounding her and dashed toward the jewelry.

"Not so fast!" Nyan-Nyan shouted. Her saber transformed into an elegant bow with dazzling pink gemstones inlayed into the mahogany handle. She pulled the string taut and bright slants of light appeared across the nocking point. She released the string, and the light arrows raced toward Kameyo just as her hand reached out for the necklace's chain.

 _She's not going to kill me,_ Kameyo scoffed. Her index finger curled underneath the chain—and then a staff slammed against her back. Kameyo cried out as she stumbled forward, dropping the necklace.

With a bright white-gold light, both the gemstones disappeared.

Arms wrapped around Kameyo's neck and chest, keeping her immobile. She flailed wildly, but Nyan-Nyan was impossibly strong. She tried to envision the cold veil that would make her phase, but without her necklace, her powers were even further out of reach. The original girl advanced on them slowly; her bow had reverted to a sword. Kameyo gritted her teeth.

"He can't protect you forever," the Nyan-Nyan copy murmured against the shell of her ear. "If you don't learn to stand on your own two feet, Takako will die."

Rage boiled her blood. "Stop…talking," she hissed.

Nyan-Nyan chuckled, all traces of her childish demeanor gone. "Funny, it seems people around you all end up suffering for the same reaso—"

Kameyo pulled her arm forward and rammed her elbow repeatedly into Nyan-Nyan's stomach. The woman's arms loosened, and Kameyo ducked underneath them and sprinted toward the opposite side of the room, trying to put as much distance between her and the horde as possible.

A column of light materialized in front of her, rapidly taking the shape of a tall, curvaceous woman. "You're really good at running, aren't you?" the silhouette purred. "Too bad it won't save you here." The light vanished, and Nyan-Nyan cocked her hip, her sword held casually at her side. "What would Yukio think of you, after all this time?" She tapped her chin, gazing in deep thought at the ceiling. "Gosh, I bet Takako would be _so_ proud of you right now, wouldn't he?"

Five more columns of light blossomed around her, revealing five more haughty goddesses. They all carried swords, now.

"Looking for this?" one of the copies said in her high-pitched child voice, swinging Kameyo's necklace like a pendulum from her index finger. "How bad does the _Scary Lady_ want it?"

Kameyo scowled, but then a savage smile stretched her lips. She could hear wind whistling in her ears as her vision turned violet. As much as she hated to admit it, the theatrics were getting her heart pumping and her mind focused on one thing and one thing only. It felt… _good_. _Really_ good. Without even trying, she felt herself tap into the pool of energy pulsing within her. "That's right, I'm good at running," she murmured. "You want to know what _else_ I'm really good at?"

Nyan-Nyan cocked her head.

Kameyo raised her hands. She could feel wind curling around them, supporting her body. The energy coursing through her was unlike anything she'd ever experienced, and suddenly she wasn't afraid—she was _ecstatic_. She grinned. "Revenge."

Nyan-Nyan's eyes widened.

"SHINPŪ!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

A violent whirlwind engulfed the Nyan-Nyans; the force of it sent Kameyo stumbling backward.

She didn't know what she was expecting—they were inside a temple, and the vortex was sucking up everything that wasn't firmly rooted to the ground. Tasuki let out a curse as he lunged forward to cling to a pillar, his feet slowly lifting off the ground. Chichiri had somehow wedged his staff into a crack in the tile floor and wrapped his arms around it as his kesa whipped around him.

 _Maybe I should've thought this through better_. Kameyo squawked as her shoes slipped on the tile, propelling her toward the vortex. She lunged for the first thing she could see, which turned out to be Tasuki's leg.

"Sorry!" she yelled to him, hanging on for dear life.

She was barely able to make out the word "fuck," some other insult involving "crazy," with a nice long exclamation of "shit" to top it off.

"Don't succumb to it!" Taiitsukun shouted; somehow Kameyo could still hear her over the wind. "Control it! You are not simply a vessel—take ownership of your power!"

Kameyo narrowed her eyes and stretched her arm out beside her. Every muscle in her body strained as she tried to rein the wind back in—the swirling vortex was getting larger, sucking all the air out of the cavernous chamber until she was gasping for breath.

She heard Tasuki cry out above her. "Fer th' love of th' fuckin' gods, get _rid_ of that thing!"

 _You are sentencing yourself, and the people you care about, to death._ Taiitsukun's earlier words swirled around in her brain, making her chest ache.

 _Ngh, I…_ She squeezed her eyes shut as she focused on pulling the energy powering the whirlwind back inside her, but the vortex just expanded further instead. _What the hell? Most days I have to nearly kill myself to get this thing working and_ now _it wants to be wild and free?!_

"Damnit, what are you doing?" she yelled to Taiitsukun. " _Help_ me!"

 _ **No,** _Taiitsukun's voice sounded in her head this time. _**It's time you stopped hiding.**_

 _Hiding from who?_ Kameyo gritted her teeth and concentrated harder. In her mind's eye she could see the tendrils of purple light that controlled the wind, but try as she might she couldn't grasp them—they apparently had a mind of their own.

 _Focus, damnit! You can do this. You can—_

"KAA-SAN!"

Her head whipped around. "Takako?!"

She couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. But there was no mistaking the sound of her son.

"Kaa-san!" She could see a dark, child-sized shape materializing in the center of the vortex. "Help me!"

"Taiitsukun," she growled. "What are you doing?"

 _ **Perhaps you need more motivation,**_ she replied. _**If you don't learn to control your power, your son will die anyway. Perhaps this way he's better off.**_

Kameyo seethed, but she didn't have long to consider the god's words.

Her hands were slipping.

"Kaa-san!" "Takako" pleaded. "Don't leave me! Please!"

The shrill voice broke her; it was her worst fear come to life, and in an instant, tears were pouring from her eyes as she thought about her son, alone, on a mountain full of demons, alone without his mother, and her arms started to tremble not only from the strain of holding onto Tasuki, but also from the knowledge, deep down, that she would never be able to save him, never be able to love him or be worthy of him, if she couldn't even save herself.

She thought back to six years ago, in Eiyou, when she had first learned how to wield a liuyedao, then a jian. How that knowledge had protected her and Takako ever since, but that it couldn't protect either of them from all of this.

Her gaze strayed up to Tasuki, and his eyes were wide. She couldn't hear him over the wind rushing in her ears, but he seemed to be mouthing, _"Wait._ "

She threw him a self-conscious smile.

And then she let go.

xxxxxx

The powerful wind immediately sucked her into the eye of the storm. She flailed wildly as she spun around and around through the air. The force of the gale rubbed her throat and mouth raw and burned her eyes. She squeezed her lids shut, and then gasped out loud as her back slammed against a pillar. Stars exploded behind her eyes.

"Kaa-san!" the voice called again.

Kameyo twisted to grip the pillar with both hands before she flipped over and wrapped her legs around it. The wind whipped painfully against her back, but at least her face was better protected.

 _What the hell am I doing? I'm going to get myself killed._

"Kaa-san!"

She turned her head, and her eyes widened. Takako lay in the center of the eye, his tunic and pants stained with blood. He reached out for her with a feeble hand. "Help me!"

 _Nyan-Nyan is a shapeshifter,_ she reminded herself. _This isn't real._

Her heart pounded in her chest anyway.

"Don't worry, Takako!" she shouted. The wind swallowed her words, but she couldn't stop. "I'm coming!"

Dark wisps of smoke materialized behind him. They twisted and curled around each other until a massive humanoid figure took shape. Its long, ratty black hair reached to its waist, and its pale, scaly fingers ended in ragged nails that curled like claws.

Her stomach dropped. "Takako!"

The demon woman laughed, her voice booming from everywhere at once.

"Did you think I'd let you just steal my son from me?" the woman bellowed. "You can't have him!"

 _This isn't real,_ Kameyo thought, squeezing her eyes shut. The moment she did, Takako started screaming in agony. She gritted her teeth and concentrated on the sound and feel of the wind rushing over her.

 _Focus. You can't break down now._

She inhaled as deeply as the air pressure would allow and pushed the breath slowly out.

The wind howled loudly, whipping into needle-sharp blades that sliced into her skin. She cried out but forced her eyes to remain closed, her hands curled into fists, and squeezed the pillar so tightly her thighs began to burn.

Another sharp blast of air cut into her cheek. She felt blood drip down her chin, but she didn't open her eyes. Takako shrieked in pain, his voice thick with tears.

A memory burst into her mind.

xxxxxx

 _She lay in the dirt, her ruqun stained with mud and her own blood._

 _A tall, slender man in yellow robes stood over her, his hand gripped tightly on his sword._

 _"No man in his right mind will come to my rescue," she spat. "Do you know how often stuff like this happens? I have no wealth, no land, no husband, and no heir. I'm not worth fighting for, in the eyes of sniveling little cowards like him."_

 _He offered the blade to her._

 _"Then maybe it's time you learned how to fight for yourself."_

xxxxxx

A tear slid across Kameyo's cheek. _I did!_ she wanted to shout to the sky. _I wanted_ you _to fight for_ us _!_

 _ **You would leave your life in someone else's hands?**_

Her eyes snapped open, then she scowled. _Never._

 _ **Prove it,**_ Taiitsukun said.

Wisps of purple danced in front of her vision. She reached out for them.

"You belong to me," she snarled. "I'm done being manipulated by you! I'm sure you listened to Meihou just fine. But guess what? Meihou's _dead_. You belong to me! So start acting like it!"

She yanked on the threads of energy, willing them to reunite with her body. The whirlwind's power felt like shards of glass shredding her insides as she absorbed it, but she willed herself to keep going. The gale died down to a gentle breeze, and she felt herself beginning to slide from the pillar without the air's pressure to keep her glued to it. Her body felt like lead.

With heavy eyes, she glanced toward the center of the room. Takako stood, whole and happy, smiling at her.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she tumbled from the pillar.

She slammed into something warm and velvety soft, and when she opened her eyes, she was staring at the beast god carvings that decorated the ceiling. She stroked her fingers over the surface she was lying on. A giant pillow?

Taiitsukun popped into existence beside her just as Tasuki and Chichiri peered down at her with twin expressions of bewilderment on their faces. She closed her eyes again.

"Did…I pass?" she murmured.

Taiitsukun snorted. "You have a lot of soul searching to do before you'll be ready to enter Daichi's shrine."

"That's not…what I asked."

"Da…are you okay, Kameyo-san?" Kameyo blinked her eyes open again and glanced at Chichiri. It was still startling to see the long, shiny scar that covered his left eye, but his kind face more than made up for it.

She sighed. "I'm fine," she said dully. She tugged her shirt away from her body, eyeing the random cuts and tatters in the garment. "But I'm going to need another shirt."

With a puff of pink smoke, another pristine white tunic appeared on her body. Groaning, she sat up. She supposed excitement, or at least some niggling sense of accomplishment, should've been blossoming inside her now, but instead she just felt…numb. Tired.

 _Because this still isn't the real deal,_ she thought. _This is only the beginning._

She wanted to go back to sleep.

Nyan-Nyan appeared with another puff of pink, this time in her child form again. "Whoa, neechan did really good!" She bounced on her toes and clapped her hands. "You absorbed that whole storm at once! Nyan-Nyan was spinning for ages!"

Kameyo raised her eyebrows. "Can I have my necklaces back?"

Nyan-Nyan waved her hand over her flattened palm, and two shimmering purple stones appeared. Kameyo reached out for them but the girl snatched them away at the last minute.

"How is neechan feeling?" Nyan-Nyan asked, her eyes intense.

Kameyo furrowed her eyebrows. "Fine." She reached out her hand again, pointedly, and Nyan-Nyan finally deposited both gems into her waiting palm. Kameyo lifted the chain of her own necklace and stared at the stone dangling from it. When she'd woken up that morning, she'd noticed a long, thin cut down the center of the gemstone, but with so much else going on, she hadn't had the time to wonder about it. Now, a heavy feeling settled in her stomach.

"I…I thought if I ever took this off, it'd kill me," she murmured.

Tasuki shrugged. "Guess ya were wrong. That's a good thing, right?"

 _No_ , she thought, but she didn't know why. Holding the chain between her thumb and index finger, she turned to Taiitsukun. "What _is_ this thing?"

The god ignored her question. "How do you feel, Kameyo?"

Kameyo wrinkled her nose. "As I already said, fine."

Taiitsukun quirked an eyebrow. "No bleeding or vomiting?"

She stared at Taiitsukun for a long moment, trying to figure out what she had missed…and then her eyes widened. She slapped her hand to her stomach, then her head. "I…" She stared at Tasuki; he raised his eyebrows. "I feel fine," she said meekly, turning to look at Chichiri.

Tasuki drew back and pointed at the stone. "So…wait. That means yer necklace…"

She glanced at it again and then dropped it, as if it burned.

"That thing has…been _poisoning_ me?" she whispered accusingly, scooting backward on her butt.

 _No_ , she thought. _No no no way—_

" _Poison_ is inaccurate," Taiitsukun said smoothly. "But it's also not an amplifier. It's a suppressant."

"Why the hell would someone give me that?!" Kameyo spat.

Taiitsukun frowned. "You needed it, once upon a time," she said. "When you were a child, that necklace was the only thing keeping Meihou's power from ripping you apart. But you're stronger now, Kameyo. You're not a little girl anymore. Yet as long as you wore that necklace, using your abilities extensively meant pushing against the seal to the point of injuring yourself."

She felt like she'd been slapped. She'd always taken comfort from the stone steadily pulsing at her throat. Even though the circumstances around getting it were murky at best, it made her feel…at home. At least a little. But now…

"All this time," she whispered, her hands trembling. "I hated my power. I kept running from it, because it hurt me…" She stiffened. "For eighteen damn years!"

"Now perhaps you will believe me when I say I have your best interests at heart."

Kameyo felt her face warm with…what? Guilt? Embarrassment? But there was something else niggling at her, wasn't there?

 _She's lying._ Kameyo's eyes widened as the thought popped into her head. But somewhere, deep down inside her, her gut was telling her there was more to this than she thought.

 _But Genrou and Chichiri-sama obviously trust her,_ she thought, _and why shouldn't they? She created the whole damn world!_

Kameyo bent down and scooped up her necklace, then Takako's.

"What about Takako's necklace?" she asked, lifting it. "Is his a 'suppressor' too?"

"No. He is not the one bound to a god."

She nodded and fastened it around her neck before shoving her own necklace in the pouch hanging at her side.

"What're ya doin'?" Tasuki said. "Yer still gonna carry that thing around wit ya?"

She inclined her head toward Taiitsukun. "It won't hurt me as long as I'm not wearing it, right?"

"Correct."

She shrugged. "It has sentimental value. I…I think I'm going to keep it for now. Just in case."

Taiitsukun narrowed her eyes. "Very well." She gestured to Tasuki. "Perhaps this is a good time for you two to train together."

"Huh?" Kameyo squeaked. "Train _how,_ exactly?"

"You need to understand how the other moves before you can work as a cohesive unit," she said. "Surely this is no surprise to you, Kameyo?"

 _What if I don't_ want _to form a cohesive unit with him?_ she thought, but she knew she was acting childish. What did it matter?

 _You know why._ She ducked her chin and plucked some imaginary lint from her shirt. _Damn you, Yukio. Haunting me even in death._

"What's the big deal?" Tasuki grumbled. "Ya didn't have any problem fightin' with me a couple days ago."

"I don't have any problem fighting with you now."

When he didn't respond, she glanced up to see Tasuki, Chichiri, Taiitsukun, _and_ Nyan-Nyan all staring at her.

"What?" she grumbled, folding her arms. "Training and fighting for your life are two different things."

"Yeah, in that trainin' is kinda important ta make sure ya don't end up killin' yerself durin' th' real thing."

Kameyo huffed. "Fine. Just let me get my—" She squawked and lunged forward to catch the scabbard sailing at her face. She glared at Nyan-Nyan, who waved and grinned happily. "I fight two-hand—" She flinched reflexively, her other hand shooting out to grab the sword Tasuki had thrown. " _Thanks_!" she snapped.

Tasuki grinned, unfastening the buckle that kept his green vest closed. "No problem." He let the belt fall to the ground and shimmied out of the vest, leaving him in a short-sleeved white tunic and his standard white linen pants. "If we're gonna be swordfightin' I want a full range of motion," he offered as explanation. He took the dao Nyan-Nyan handed him with an even wider smirk.

"What are _you_ so happy about?" she grumbled.

"I've been sittin' around all day doin' nothin' but gettin' buckets of cold water thrown on me an' watchin' ya fail miserably at tryna be useful."

"And this is supposed to make me _like_ you?"

Tasuki rolled his shoulders. "I've got a lotta pent-up energy. Could use a distraction right 'bout now."

Kameyo grunted. "Hm. And I'm the distraction, I'm guessing?"

Tasuki froze, his eyes going wide as he stopped in the middle of an experimental swing. "Th-th' fightin'," he said, his face going pink. "Th' _fightin_ ' is th' distraction!" His voice bounced off the walls.

"Say it a little louder, I don't think they heard you in Sairou."

Tasuki scoffed. "Are we doin' this thing or not, woman?"

 _Mou…just when I think I've figured him out. It's like he can't decide if he wants to be a man or a kid._ She sighed. _But he doesn't look at all like—_

Her thoughts screeched to a halt. Her head lolled back until she was glaring mildly at the ceiling. Great. Just great.

Grudgingly, she had to admit he was easy on the eyes. The first three buttons of his shirt were undone, teasing the golden expanse of his chiseled chest. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, his knees slightly bent as he tested the weight of his sword in the air, bouncing from toe to toe as he adapted his movements to compensate for its drag. Swinging a sword, after all, had to be much different than swinging a fan. His lean muscles flexed as he swiped the sword again.

Kameyo narrowed her eyes. Yukio had been the only person she'd ever trained with. Her gaze flicked to Taiitsukun, who hovered near the far wall watching them with an unreadable expression. Her stomach fluttered. All the time she'd spent learning to swordfight from Yukio was one of the reasons she'd fallen in love with him.

Suddenly, it clicked: why she had the constant compulsion to touch Tasuki, to be around him, and yet every fiber in her body told her to do anything and everything to keep him at a distance. This was the past coming to bite her in the ass all over again.

 _But I'm not being punished, though,_ she thought with a snort. _Not buying it, Taiitsukun!_

"No powers," Taiitsukun said. "For this first bout, focus only on moving your body until it's effortless to do so." She waved her hand, and the blades glowed white for a second before reverting to normal. "I've enchanted your weapons so we can avoid injuries."

"This ain't my first match, ya know," Tasuki drawled. He jerked his thumb at Kameyo. "She's th' one ya gotta worry about."

 _I bet he doesn't even realize I'm a woman,_ Kameyo thought, rolling her eyes. _To him, I'm probably comparable to a housecat._

Good. That would make all of this a hell of a lot easier.

Kameyo imagined Takako's smiling face and determination flared deep in her chest. _Don't worry, Takako._ She tightened her grip on the hilts and mirrored Tasuki's defensive stance. _I'm coming. Just hold on a little longer._

"Begin!" Taiitsukun shouted.

Kameyo and Tasuki lunged forward. Tasuki raised his sword high, so Kameyo ducked low, swinging her swords diagonally across her body until they clashed against his dao.

Tasuki's eyes widened, and she bit back a smirk as she kneed him in the stomach. He let out a small grunt and jerked backward, giving her the space and time she needed to recover her balance.

She might be "atrocious" when it came to using magic or fighting demons, but when it came to a simple match of sword against sword, she knew how to handle her own. Judging by the look of irritation on Tasuki's face, he obviously agreed.

Of course, she didn't honestly expect to best him, either. But at least she'd gotten him to shut up.

"I gotta admit," he grunted, pushing her right sword back and parrying the left, "yer pretty good."

"I know," she said. Their swords clashed in a stalemate, her muscles straining to keep him at bay. Tasuki pushed harder and her upper body arched backward. She was standing so close she could feel his warm, even breaths against her forehead, could see the faint dusting of copper hair that disappeared into his shirt.

Tasuki grinned. "Too bad I'm better." The kanji on his arm flared red, and he moved so quickly then that she had no chance of countering. Her hands were jerked forward and her swords were wrenched from her grasp. She watched them skid across the floor, the end of Tasuki's dao pointed at her nose.

"Hey!" she blurted. "You cheated!"

Tasuki raised his eyebrows. "Who, me? I have no idea what yer talkin' 'bout. I followed all th' rules exactly."

"I saw your symbol light up!" she said, pointing at it. "You used your powers!"

"It always does that," he said, quirking an eyebrow. "Jus' means I'm gettin' a workout. Not my fault ya were too busy oglin' me ta pay attention."

She gaped at him. The denial was already on the tip of her tongue…but then she decided against it and chuckled. "Well, can you blame me?" she drawled, allowing her graze to drag slowly down his body so he couldn't help but notice it. "Men aren't built like warriors where I come from."

Tasuki jerked so hard she was surprised he hadn't broken his damn neck. His eyes bulged. "What th' hell ar—"

She spun on her heel and kicked him full-on in the chest.

Tasuki let out a high-pitched shout that would put even Nyan-Nyan to shame before he crashed to the ground. In a single motion, she scooped his dropped sword from the floor and aimed it at his chest.

Too easy.

"Oh my," she purred, swelling with pride at the murderous glare he shot her, "looks like I was mistaken. Guess you aren't much of a warrior, after all."

Obviously, all this time she had taken the wrong approach. Handsome and powerful though he may have been, Tasuki was nothing like Yukio; perhaps she could escape this with her sanity intact after all.

Tasuki's eyes narrowed into slits. The flash of his kanji was her only warning.

A sudden breeze swept over her as an unseen foot caught her ankle and her body pitched backward. Kameyo squawked and flung out her arms for balance, but she slipped on the tile instead—she was going to crack her head right open!

Strong arms wrapped around her waist and held her steady, her body still pitched at a weird angle. Tasuki hovered over her, his intense amber eyes meeting hers. Her chest heaved, her racing heart struggling to recover from the shock, but then Tasuki's gaze dropped and her blood roared even faster. His arm tightened around her, and warmth blossomed in her chest. An electric hum shimmered over her skin, beginning where his forearm came in contact with her lower back.

Tasuki's eyes widened, his pupils dilating as he stared at her. There was a roar in her ears as she bit her lip and his gaze dropped again to follow the movement.

Chichiri cleared his throat. Tasuki released his hold and her back slammed to the ground. She gasped out loud as pain lanced up her spine.

 _"Tasuki!"_ Chichiri said sternly.

But he wasn't paying attention to the monk; he was still staring at her. His brilliant amber eyes bore into her as if at any moment her skin would peel away and reveal a vengeful demon, or Taiitsukun with no clothes on.

He looked… _angry_.

"Well, that was promising," Taiitsukun deadpanned.

Kameyo scrambled to her feet, and the spell was broken; Tasuki glanced away and glared at the ground as she dusted her pants off.

She was attracted to him, and she was just fine with admitting that. But judging by that look he'd given her, he was attracted to her, too. And _he_ didn't like it.

 _Join the club._ Kameyo pressed her hand to her forehead. What was happening to her?

From his bronze skin and lean, muscular frame to the brilliant gold of his eyes, Tasuki was far from ugly. But he was also five years younger than her, a celestial warrior, and a big part of the reason she was in this mess to begin with.

 _There's no reason I can't appreciate the view if I'm never going to act on it,_ she thought. _Right?_

Nope. She might be jaded but she wasn't dead. She sighed. _I don't have time for this._

 _Takako_ was her priority. Everything else was a nuisance. She snatched up her broadsword.

"Well?" she taunted. "Are you just going to stand there or are we going to get back to it?"

Tasuki narrowed his eyes at her.

"This time no holding back," she said. "I want to see if you can keep up with me when you're not cheating, _Suzaku no Tasuki_."

He scowled, but wordlessly, he bent down and retrieved his sword. Kameyo focused on the tightly furled ball of energy in her gut until it pulsed outward and her skin tingled with the raw power of it.

 _I need to get stronger,_ Kameyo thought. _And if the only way to do it is to put up with him, well, that's what I'm going to do._

"Don't even think 'bout usin' that whirlwind on me," he barked. "If I have ta be subjected ta that then I ain't gonna hesitate ta give ya some of my fire back."

"Is that a threat?"

"No," he murmured. "I ain't gonna hurt ya either way. But if it's a fight ya want, I ain't gonna be easy pickins, neither."

Her stomach fluttered. He couldn't bear to touch her, but he was still trying to reassure her that she was safe around him?

 _Well it's the least he could do!_ she growled inwardly, raising her swords and lunging forward.

Steel clashed against steel. She trapped his liuyedao between her two niuweidao, but the muscles in his upper arms flexed and with one strong sweep of his arm he forced them sideways and yanked his sword free. His arm arched forward again, and she blocked his blow with the flat edge of her left-hand dao.

"Wow," Tasuki said flatly, parrying her next blow. "I'm impressed."

"Well I'm bored out of my mind!" she spat back.

But the taunting became distracting, and they fell into a comfortable silence, the loud clang of metal echoing in the cavernous room. Kameyo fell into a trance, letting muscle memory guide her swings while her eyes focused on every small twitch or flex of his body that could betray his next move. He was careful, though—there wasn't much to go on.

Kameyo veered to the right as Tasuki's sword sailed through the air.

"I had a friend that used ta fight like this," Tasuki murmured. Kameyo almost hadn't heard him over the harsh shriek of her blade as it slid against his. She frowned and pivoted on her heel, adjusting her grip on her dao and jabbing Tasuki quickly in the stomach with the pommel. He let out a little grunt before jumping out of her reach.

"Fight like what?"

"You."

Kameyo started; Tasuki lunged forward and slammed his blade against hers; her wrist twisted to the right and her grip loosened. The sword plunged to the ground and skittered across the floor. It was Kameyo's turn to dodge as Tasuki swung in the opposite direction. She lunged backward and clenched her other fist around the hilt.

Tasuki started to circle her; Kameyo stepped sideways in the opposite direction, keeping her chest parallel to his at all times.

"What's so strange about the way I fight?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

Tasuki's kanji glowed red for a split second and by the next, he was in front of her, his sword raised above his head. Kameyo squawked and bent her knees, putting all her weight into the horizontal thrust of her weapon. Tasuki's blade sung with the force of his blow; she felt it vibrate through her arms, burning her muscles. She feinted left and spun to the right when Tasuki tried to counter it. He nodded at her sword. "That, right there," he murmured, pulling back. "Ya fight like a jianke."

She stiffened.

"W-Why would I know anything about that?" she blurted.

Tasuki frowned. "That's what I wanna know."

He vanished again. Kameyo's eyes widened as she braced herself, but it was too late; Tasuki swiped his leg under her foot and she pitched backward. She rounded her shoulders, prepared to absorb the impact, but it was for naught—Tasuki caught her easily around the waist again, his sword still held lightly in his other hand.

She grimaced, anticipating the moment when he'd regret his chivalry and drop her, but instead he slowly tugged her forward until she was upright again before he dropped his arm. He studied her, his expression pensive.

Kameyo stepped back and massaged the ache out of her wrist, returning his stare. She was speaking before she could question it. "Han Yukio."

Tasuki cocked his head. "Who?"

"He's the jianke that trained me," she muttered. "He was a general in the Konan Army."

Tasuki's eyes widened.

Kameyo glanced away. That familiar tug of longing, of nostalgia, that had begun to seep into her during their match now flooded her chest at the mere utterance of his name. She watched the shadows of the trees swaying outside dance across the walls. "He was also my betrothed."

"Was?"

She looked up, and Chichiri was padding over to them, wearing the same curious expression as Tasuki. "He died on the battlefield," she whispered. Her voice sounded like a crashing waterfall to her own ears. "During the Kutou War."

Her stomach did somersaults as she watched twin expressions of despair and sympathy flash across the seishi's faces. In the four years since he'd died and she'd left Eiyou behind, she hadn't allowed herself to say those words out loud once, not even to Takako. Yet something, deep down, told her if anyone would understand, it would be these two.

Chichiri's eye softened. "I'm so sorry to hear that, no da."

Her throat constricted. "So was I," she croaked.

Tasuki grunted, reaching up to rub the back of his head. "We lost a lotta good men back then," he murmured. He met her gaze. "Including Hotohori."

Goosebumps prickled her arms. "That's the friend you mentioned," she said in awe. "Heika-sama."

He nodded, his shoulders slumping.

"Makes sense that an imperial general would be taught the same swordsmanship style as the emperor, no da," Chichiri said.

"You'd think passin' those skills on ta a civilian woman would get 'im axed, though." Tasuki flinched and then covered it with a cough. "I-I, well. Ya know."

"He taught me in secret. He wanted me to be able to protect myself."

Chichiri smiled softly. "Seems like he succeeded, no da."

"Not really," she scoffed. "Apparently I've been recklessly endangering myself since I was eight years old. Not to mention not being able to keep Takako safe. There's no telling what's happening on Reikaku right now."

Tasuki shrugged. "Ya raised a smart kid. An' look, I said I'd keep him safe, an' I will. There's no one I trust on that mountain more than Kouji an' Anzu. He's in good hands." He folded his arms. "So worry less 'bout him and more about how yer gonna close up that giant ass opening on yer left flank. Got it?"

Kameyo scoffed. "Only if you work on your horrible upward stroke."

"H-Hey! I still managed ta disarm ya wit it, didn't I?"

She smiled, but it quickly faded. How different would her life have been if Yukio hadn't died?

"Why use a dao if ya could easily pick up a jian?" Tasuki asked. "That's part of yer problem, ya know. Yer usin' two swords fer a technique that requires one. It'd be easier fer ya ta fight if ya switched weapons an' fought two-handed. Yer a helluva lot more accurate that way."

She swallowed against a lump forming in her throat. "I know. But I'm not worthy of a jian."

He started, but just as he opened his mouth to ask, something caught his eye and he turned his head.

"'Chiri?" he said, and Kameyo followed his gaze. Chichiri was massaging his forehead, his skin glistening with sweat. "What's wrong?"

"Not…sure," he groaned. "I have a bad feeling, no da."

Tasuki lifted his hand, but just as his fingers brushed Chichiri's shoulder the monk let out a strangled cry and flinched. His jaw twitched as beads of sweat broke out on his brow.

"'Chiri?" Tasuki said again, urgently, pressing his hand to Chichiri's shoulder. "What's—"

Chichiri's hands flew to his forehead as a hoarse scream tore from his throat.

"Something," he gasped out, "is attacking the barrier."

"WHAT?" Tasuki shouted.

Kameyo ran to his other side and wrapped her hand around his forearm. "Chichiri-sama, what do you mean?" Her heart started to race. "Is it Fujin?" Her mind returned to the illusion of Takako sprawled out on the ground, bleeding and screaming in agony. A premonition? She shook him lightly, then immediately felt like garbage when he flinched again. "Chichiri-sama, what's going on?"

The monk groaned. "I don't know, but I can't…"

"Chichiri," Taiitsukun boomed. "You are _not_ to draw on your power, do you understand? Do _not_ fortify that barrier. Your ki is still tainted."

"Are ya fuckin' crazy, Sunakake-baba?" Tasuki spat. "If he doesn't do somethin'—"

"I have warned you, repeatedly, that drawing on your power so soon after being possessed will break you, Chichiri," she barked. "That has not changed. You must complete the rest of your purity rituals, or everyone on Reikaku will face the consequences! And you, Suzaku no Tasuki, should know that better than anyone!"

Tasuki stiffened. "If he doesn't use his power then they'll die anyway," he murmured darkly. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Fine. I get it. Jus' send me down there an'—"

"Just because you didn't fall under a demonic influence _this time_ does not mean you are not still at risk. Allowing you to go back would not be wise."

"So what th' hell are we supposed ta do?" he yelled. "Sit here wit our thumbs up our asses?"

Kameyo rubbed her hand against Takako's gemstone. He barely survived a demon attack with it. But without it…

"Taiitsukun, I don't care what the consequences are," she said. "If my son is in danger, I have to go to him."

"I sympathize with your situation," she said with a frown. "But I have to consider the greater good."

"Like hell! Protectin' th' people on that mountain _is_ th' greater good!"

Chichiri flinched again, letting out a low, long groan as he sunk to his knees. Tasuki kneeled beside him and wrapped an arm around the man's shoulder. "Shit, 'Chiri, I don't want ya ta do nothin' that's gonna get ya killed," he murmured. "You've risked yer life fer us enough already. If droppin' the barrier is th' only way…"

Chichiri scoffed. "I don't need to be coddled," he grumbled. "I'm seven years older than you."

Tasuki grinned. "Does that mean ya've got a plan B?"

Chichiri's face was pale. "It means I'll keep it up for as long as possible while we think of one, no da."

Kameyo frowned. She sat cross-legged in front of Tasuki and Chichiri. "I…I thought Fujin was contained."

"They are," Taiitsukun said. "But they haven't lost influence over mortals simply because they cannot act on their own behalf."

Kameyo glanced up and met Tasuki's narrowed eyes.

"Shit," he spat. "It's fuckin' Souta, isn't it?"

She stretched her palm out to Chichiri. "Give me the mirror." She paused. "Please."

Chichiri reached into the folds of his kesa and removed the mirror. He paused right before he handed it to her. "Da…fair warning, this may definitely count as an 'ignorance is bliss' situation…"

She narrowed her eyes. "If my son is in danger, not knowing isn't going to keep me from worrying. And I couldn't care less what Taiitsukun has to say about what I plan to do with this information."

She could feel Taiitsukun's murderous glare burn into her back. Tasuki actually paled and shrunk away. Kameyo snorted. She'd worry about respecting gods when they, oh, stopped using her as a pawn for their own motives. That would be great.

 _What makes you think that's what Taiitsukun is doing?_

Another prickling sensation suffused her skin, and she shook her head, grabbing the mirror from Chichiri. _Never mind. I have more important things to worry about._

"Show me my son," she spat, gripping the edges. "Show me Takako!"

Nothing happened.

"Give it 'ere," Tasuki said, tugging it from her hands. "Come on, Kouji," he muttered, staring down at his own reflection, "where th' hell are ya?"

The three of them waited in silence for the bright flash of light, the soft buzz as the noise from Reikaku filtered through. Nothing.

Kameyo's eyes met Tasuki's again—pure fear was reflected in his gaze.

"R-Reikaku," he muttered. "Fuck, jus' show me what's goin' on on Mt. Reikaku!"

A shimmering white-gold light shot from the mirror's surface. Kameyo shielded her eyes, then opened them as she felt the blinding light begin to fade. She scooted over until her shoulder was pressed against Tasuki's, and then she clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my gods…"

They were back in the dining hall. Night had fallen. Dark liquid splattered the floor and walls.

 _Bodies_. There were bodies sprawled across the floor. At least half a dozen of them.

"O-Oh my gods," Kameyo whispered, her voice shaking. "W-What happened? Fujin?"

A chorus of joyful yells sounded from somewhere out of sight. By the way they reverberated in the dim room, it sounded like the men were in the hallway.

"No," Chichiri whispered, his eye narrowed. "Human hands did this."

"Godsdamnit!" Tasuki hissed through clenched teeth. "I'm gonna wring that fucker's useless neck!"

Chichiri flinched again from far-off pain, then turned to Tasuki. "It's not entirely his fault, no da. You can't—"

" _Fuck_ , 'Chiri!" he yelled. "Ya think I don't _know_ that?" He tossed the mirror to the ground beside him and sprang to his feet, fisting thick clumps of his wild red hair in his hands. "Is that supposed ta make this any easier? Knowin' that he's bein' used, that he still ended up killin' who-knows-how-many of my men, that as much as I wanna hate 'im fer it…"

He froze, his face contorting into agony as he stared blankly at the floor.

Chichiri grimaced as another violent tremor shook his body.

Kameyo gingerly reached out for the mirror, never taking her eyes off Tasuki. There was something bubbling there, right beneath the surface, and as much as she would've liked to think only of her son, she could tell he was in pain. The heavy weight of shared tragedy festered between them.

 _You're not the only one who's hurting here._ This time, her conscience sounded just like Yukio. She groaned. Because of course.

Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She glanced down at the mirror.

One of those bodies was _moving_.

 _Holy hell—_

She watched, her heart in her throat, as the man crawled across the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He must've been headed for the door. He was muttering something. Kameyo pressed her ear close and listened.

" _Kuso_!" he hissed. "Th-That sonuvabitch…that sonuvabitch!" His shoulders shook; he was crying. "You sonuvabitch…I'll never forgive ya fer this."

Kameyo bit her lip. She should look away. She shouldn't be watching this. She shouldn't—

"Genrou," the man groaned. "Ya fuckin'…coward."

The shouts in the hallway intensified. From the sound of it, the bandits were chanting, "Souta!"

Kameyo dropped the mirror and pressed her hand to her stomach. Bile rose in her throat. _Takako_.

"What?" Tasuki said. She flinched. His face was inches from hers; he'd approached when she hadn't been paying attention. "What did ya see?"

She glanced away. "I…"

Chichiri clutched his head and let out a ragged scream that carved a hole right in Kameyo's heart.

Tasuki whirled around. "' _Chiri_!"

Kameyo spun to face Taiitsukun. "Can't you do something?"

She scowled, but said nothing. Chichiri curled into himself, subtle tremors wracking his shoulders.

"There's…demons…" he muttered. "A lot…of them. I can feel them…trying to shatter it."

Tasuki cursed. "I'm gonna take an educated guess an' say that thing gettin' broken will be a lot worse fer ya than ya dissolving it on yer own."

"That's…right…no da. But I'm fine. I can—"

Kameyo finally took note of how pale he was, and how, even though they'd undergone purification rituals just that morning, there were still dark bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Don't," she said. "Chichiri-sama, get rid of it. Get rid of the barrier. It's not worth you dying for."

Tasuki's head snapped up, and his amber eyes flashed with anger and something akin to betrayal. Her heart ached for him, really it did, but it was all too late, anyway.

"Souta is already rallying people to commit treason and murder," Kameyo murmured. "They're no more safer inside than outside. All this will accomplish is getting Chichiri killed, too, and how much worse off would we be, then?"

"Godsdamnit." He buried his hands in his hair and tugged, hard. "I hate that yer right."

"So do I." She jumped to her feet. "I'm going down there. I don't care if I have to walk." She strode over and snatched up the broadswords leaning against the far wall. She tied them to her waist. "Takako might still be alive. He _has_ to be. I…" She clenched her fist and pressed it against her lips.

Chichiri let out another tiny cry. "Tasuki…" His voice was too soft, its pained notes soaked in apology.

"Do it," Tasuki gritted out. "Drop th' barrier, Chichiri."

Chichiri's eye slid closed. He inhaled sharply, and then opened his eye as he breathed out. He frowned. "It's gone. I can't sense anythin' on Reikaku now." He grimaced. "I'm sorry, Tasuki."

"Not yer fault." But his fists were clenched so tightly that they were turning white from the pressure. "But I gotta get down there. Now."

"Taiitsukun-sama," Chichiri murmured. "I'm sorry. But I can't let them die."

Taiitsukun frowned. "You, of all people, should know what you will be risking if you go back."

He jerked his chin. "I do."

Her eyes strayed to Kameyo, then Tasuki. "And you should, as well."

Tasuki clenched his jaw. A million emotions raced across his face, and in that moment, he looked older than she and Chichiri combined. "Yeah, I know, too."

"Fujin will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals," Taiitsukun said. "They revel in their ability to poison hearts and minds. This conflict is centuries in the making, Chichiri, and lines _will_ be drawn." She sighed. "It is important, now more than ever, that you remember who you are." She lifted her hand and pointed at Chichiri's knee, and just then, a bright kanji flared there, barely muted by the fabric covering his skin. Kameyo glanced to the right, and a similar symbol pulsed from Tasuki's arm. The bandit rubbed it absentmindedly.

"Remember _what_ you are, warriors of Suzaku," Taiitsukun said. "Because Fujin will do everything in their power to make you forget. And if they do, all will be lost."

"I understand, Taiitsukun-sama," Chichiri murmured. "And I promise you: I won't forget. I never could."

"The wounds on your hearts are festering," Taiitsukun continued, and her head turned toward Kameyo. "Fujin has absorbed ki from all three of you. They have seen into your minds. They know what you regret, what you fear. I was not exaggerating when I said you must be pure of body and soul to survive this. Reikaku has become substantially more tainted in the mere three days you have been gone, and without having completed your purification rites, you will be even more vulnerable to injury and corruption." She turned to face Chichiri. "And you, Chichiri, as a monk and the strongest magic user of the seishi, will risk your soul every time you draw on your power. Knowing that, you still wish to return?"

Chichiri and Tasuki glanced at one another, a silent conversation passing between them. As one, they turned to Taiitsukun and nodded.

"Then I will teleport you to the mountain's peak. Prepare yourselves for battle, and return when you are done."

Tasuki helped Chichiri to his feet, and the two men lumbered away, Chichiri leaning heavily against Tasuki's shoulder, back toward their room. Kameyo blinked back tears. This wasn't good. They couldn't afford to leave, but they couldn't afford to stay, either. She shuddered out a sigh and pivoted on her heel, heading for the door.

"Kameyo."

She paused facing the wall, her eyes trained at the ground. The gemstone against her collarbone flared, warm and bright, and the familiarity of it made her ache, because if she didn't have it, if she hadn't borrowed it, maybe she could afford to be a little more hopeful that her son was still alive.

Her own necklace pulsed against her thigh. The familiar weight of it, too, was hard to bear. She had no idea who or what she was, anymore. Who or what she could trust.

"You do not trust me," Taiitsukun said, as if reading her mind. Maybe she had.

"I don't know you," Kameyo replied softly.

"A voice deep inside is telling you that I am not being entirely truthful—that obeying my commands will not end well for you."

Kameyo blinked back the moisture pricking at her eyes and pressed her lips together.

"You are correct."

She whipped around to face the god hovering in the air. Taiitsukun's robes fluttered gently around her, and her weathered, wise face was blank. Kameyo opened her mouth, but any and all thoughts vanished from her mind without a trace—what was there to say? Deep down, hadn't she always known?

Taiitsukun shook her head. "A child is lying in the street," she said. "A horse-drawn carriage full of people is racing toward them. Diverting the carriage's path will save the child, but kill the passengers. Which is the correct choice?"

Kameyo's hands started to shake. Her vision blurred as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"There isn't one," she whispered.

"But you still have to choose, Kameyo. There is no neutral position between life and death."

Kameyo chuckled humorlessly. "Are you giving advice?" She bit her lip. "Or a warning?"

Taiitsukun stared at her, and in that moment, Kameyo saw the burden of eternity in the beady black eyes of the world's creator—felt the yawning emptiness open in her heart as she realized being a coward hadn't actually protected her or Takako at all. It'd only prolonged the inevitable.

For the first time since they had met, Taiitsukun smiled softly.

"Prepare yourself for your journey, Kameyo." It was as much a kindness as a damning confirmation.

Kameyo fled from the room, her mind swimming, her breaths uneven, every nerve in her body burning with pain as she thought of that illusion again, and the blood and the screams…

She screeched to a halt in the hallway and pressed her head against the cool stone of the wall. The roar of a distant waterfall reached her ears, the air fresh and damp and suffused with the subtle fragrance of wildflowers.

 _A child is lying in the street._

But she couldn't figure out who that child was: her, or Takako.

She wasn't sure she wanted to know.


	12. The Weight of the World

**Content warning:** This chapter contains brief mention and allusions to rape (though on par with those already included in the original series).

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve: The Weight of the World**

"Chichiri."

The monk inclined his head to indicate he'd heard, but he didn't open his eye.

" _Chichiri_ ," Tasuki said again. "Yer in no shape ta be fightin' those demons again."

The older seishi sat cross-legged in the middle of the bedchamber, his head bowed slightly as he muttered incantations to himself. Even now, his pale face was calm and serene, his chest rising and falling softly. It was only the familiarity that came with their four-plus-year friendship that allowed Tasuki to notice the slight tremor to Chichiri's hand as he drew symbols in the air, as well as his occasional sharp intakes of breath as residual pain wracked his body courtesy of evil forces hundreds of miles away.

Tasuki clenched his fists. " _Chichiri_ ," he snapped.

"I heard you the first time, no da."

The bandit let out a groan. "'Chiri, as much as I hate to agree with Kameyo—"

"There's no point in me staying behind, no da," Chichiri replied. "Someone has to be there to intercept the demons before they can attack the bandits."

Tasuki stomped his foot. " _Damnit,_ 'Chiri, I need ya ta be honest wit me! I need ta know that yer not about ta rush in there like a _fuckin' idiot_ an' get yourself killed! It's bad enough that Kouji—"

A lump formed in his throat. He had no proof that Kouji was anything but alive and well, but those bodies…if Souta truly _had_ led an uprising in the stronghold, Kouji and Anzu would've been the first ones to face the consequences.

 _They're tough as nails an' smart. They gotta be okay._

But his mountain had needed him, and he hadn't been there. _Again_.

"Fuck," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Pressure was building in his sinuses, but the very _last_ thing he was going to do now was _cry_ like a little kid.

" _Tasu_ ki." Chichiri stressed the first syllable in his name—an admonishment he knew a lot better than he cared to.

"I _know_ that the demon's aura is affectin' me," Tasuki grumbled, dropping his hand and slumping heavily against the table behind him. "That don't mean I don't feel any less like shit. _Fuck_ , Kouji an' Anzu could be dead! And if anythin' happens ta th' kid…"

Chichiri finally opened his eye and climbed to his feet. His face softened as he met Tasuki's gaze. "I'm worried about them too, no da, but assuming the worst isn't going to fix anything. Just make sure you understand how much of what you're feeling is reasonable…and what could be caused by… _other_ things, no da."

His neck warmed a little as his mind instantly drifted back to that time two years ago… Tasuki jerked his chin in acknowledgment and reached out toward his friend. "Gimme yer hand."

Chichiri's eyebrows shot up, but he offered Tasuki his palm, a slight twitch of his lips betraying his amusement.

"Oh, shut th' hell up," Tasuki muttered, the blush spreading to his cheeks as he clasped hands with Chichiri. "Ya might be weak still an' we might be still about ta risk our lives fer th' _millionth_ fuckin' time, but I'll _still_ punch ya in th' face, I swear ta th' gods."

Chichiri laughed, a soft sound so like the rustle of his shakujou's rings in a breeze. "Thank you, no da. I _do_ appreciate it."

Tasuki found himself smirking despite himself. "Yeah, well. Ya've helped me out more than a time or two, so I figure I owe ya at least this much."

The kanji on his arm tingled as he focused on funneling his ki through their joined hands and into Chichiri. The monk sighed heavily as the energy flowed through him, surrounding them both in the intense light of Suzaku. Tasuki watched in real time as Chichiri's skin color and face brightened considerably. For some reason it prompted him to recall when they'd first met four years ago, and how his initial impression was one of dismissal. He'd believed the monk to be nothing more than a weird little fox-faced man good for a few magic tricks, nothing more.

Funny how things could change. Now he couldn't—didn't want to—imagine a life that didn't have Chichiri in it. The pang of remembered loss made Tasuki clench his friend's hand tighter, sending an extra burst of ki through their connection unconsciously.

When Tasuki felt the beginning of fog seep into his brain, he took a deep breath and released Chichiri's hand.

"Daa…" Chichiri stretched his arms high above his head. " _Much_ better, no da."

Tasuki pumped his fist. "Now let's go show those assholes what happens when ya mess wit a warrior of Suzaku."

"Yes, sir!"

A knock sounded on the wall, and Tasuki glanced over his shoulder at Kameyo, who was leaning against the door frame. Her eyes were red and damp, her face splotchy. "Are we ready?" Her voice was husky. Despite his immediate impulse to distance himself from her further, even _he_ could admit this wasn't the time nor the place to indulge his insecurities.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Tasuki said, pulling his tessen from his holster. He frowned, eyeing the white knuckled grip she had on her sword hilt. "What about you?"

"Same," she said. She pushed off the wall, and Tasuki passed her into the hallway. She fell into step next to him, the sound of Chichiri's shakujou from behind punctuating each step.

"What did you do to him?" she asked quietly.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Eh? Ya mean Chichiri?"

She nodded, biting her lip. "All I saw you do was hold his hand and suddenly he looks a lot healthier."

"That's a ki transfer, no da," Chichiri piped up. "Tasuki was kind enough to give me a boost before we left."

Her eyes widened. "Doesn't that hurt you?"

"Not if ya do it right," Tasuki grumbled. "I mean, yeah, sometimes ya get a little sleepy, but—"

"Can you teach me?" she blurted, whirling to face him. He stumbled backward to avoid tripping over her foot. "I…I should be able to do it just fine now that my power's not sealed anymore, right?" She spun toward Chichiri, who only barely managed to hide his grimace. "Right?"

"Ano…I suppose…"

"But it _ain't_ somethin' ya can jus' do 'cause ya feel like it, an' especially not now," Tasuki barked. Her face fell, and he cursed inwardly. He could already see the wheels turning in her brain; now that she had a taste of what real, unbridled power felt like, she wanted to use every drop of it if it could potentially protect her son. But it'd taken him months to learn how to do even this much and it wasn't exactly a process he wanted to repeat with someone else as either a student _or_ teacher.

Naturally, Chichiri responded with a bit more tact. "It requires a significant amount of training and concentration to infuse someone with your own ki, no da. If you don't know exactly what you're doing, you could end up giving too much, or even draining the other person, no da. Not a best-case scenario at any time, but especially not before a major battle."

She nodded. "All right. Later, then. I mean, if the idea is to revive Daichi, then I'm going to have to learn how to do it anyway, if I'm supposed to use my energy to help him."

Tasuki grunted. "Had a change of heart, did ya?"

She ducked her chin and started walking again. "As much as I hate to admit it, Taiitsukun is right. It's not just about _me_ anymore. If I'm going to save Takako, I have to suck it up and just accept the fact that the universe hates me and that's that."

Tasuki glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Chichiri cringe. "That's…not quite the lesson I'd take from this, no da."

He rolled his eyes and fell into step behind Kameyo; Taiitsukun's main chamber was just at the end of the hall. "Jus' leave it alone, 'Chiri. There's jus' no hope for some pe—"

Kameyo's body flickered and then disappeared, forcing Tasuki to jerk to a stop as he glanced around in disbelief. "W-Where did she—?"

Soft, warm fingers slid under the hem of his shirt and pinched the skin around his navel. He shrieked and swatted wildly at the air around him, Kameyo's husky laugh reaching his ears just before she shimmered into view again, smiling softly.

"Knock it off!" he snapped, baring his fangs. "What th' hell do ya think yer doin', gropin' me like that?!"

She gazed up at him, her eyes suddenly sad though the smile remained. "Do you have any idea how _exhausting_ that used to be?" She rubbed her neck. "You know, becoming invisible, phasing through things? I had to become _really_ good at strategizing; if I couldn't think at least ten steps ahead of my opponent, I'd risk drawing on my power too much, getting sick, and getting killed." She lifted her pants leg and pointed out a long, diagonal scar across her calf. "Slave traders," she explained, her smile taking on a self-conscious quality. "I was sixteen. I tried to just disappear first so I could hide from them, but…it was too hard to concentrate and I ended up blacking out. I got this" —she tapped the scar— "in the struggle after I woke up. But you know, 'you should see the other guy,' et cetera, et cetera."

His skin felt too tight; he didn't know what to say. Why was she telling him all of this?

"For the last eleven years I've tried to do anything and everything to make sure Takako has the protection I never got," she whispered, her eyes damp. She shook her head and then glanced between Tasuki and Chichiri. "So, at the risk of making myself even more of a nuisance than I already am…Regardless of what happens to me, please, just…do what you can for him." Her gaze dropped. "And in return…for as long as my abilities can be useful to you, they're yours."

Her shoulders slumped under the weight of resignation. If that's what it took to save Reikaku, Tasuki thought in alarm, he didn't want it.

Chichiri walked forward and touched her shoulder, smiling. He'd removed his mask again some time ago, after Kameyo had proclaimed she preferred him without it. ("Don't hide your scars for my benefit," she'd said. "I have plenty of my own, so it's not like I care to judge.")

"I would protect Taka-kun no matter what," he said. "Not so you can _owe_ me. But because you're my friend, no da. So no need for the honorifics from now on, all right?" She blinked back tears and nodded, a watery smile on her face. Chichiri glanced at Tasuki, and silently, they acknowledged the gravity of the situation. Down on Reikaku, it was only going to get worse.

 _I'm not gonna rest till Fujin is burnin' in hell fer this._

Chichiri's eyebrows narrowed. Somehow Tasuki knew the monk was thinking the same thing.

"Let's go," Tasuki said.

xxxxxx

Though the sight of the stronghold towering over him usually filled Tasuki with a sense of relief, of calm, once Taiitsukun's white-gold aura faded away, his body felt twice as heavy. A fit of coughs overcame him immediately. The air was thick and hot—a fire, he thought, his gaze flying to a pillar of dark gray smoke rising from somewhere at the back of the compound. The last rays of sunlight were receding, the mountain cast in an eerie shade of twilight that set Tasuki further on edge.

Anything could be watching, waiting, from the darkness.

"Mind the haze," Chichiri said. "No barrier means no protection. The longer we're here…"

The longer they'd risk going insane…or worse.

Kameyo waved her hand, and a gust of fresh air whipped past them. Tasuki gulped it in greedily.

"I'll try to do that periodically," she said. "If you're struggling, just let me know."

"Thank you, no da."

Her violet gaze swept the field, lingering on the thick plumes of smoke for a long moment before she turned to regard the forest at their backs. All was quiet. Not a single cicada, not a single twirling bird or chattering squirrel. Tasuki couldn't even hear voices—as much as he dreaded it, he'd at least expected some screams, considering the roaring flames and the pungent smell in the air…

"The gate," Kameyo said faintly. Tasuki's gaze flew to it. Because the barrier had been in place when they'd left days ago, the front gates had been standing wide open, almost in defiance of the looming threat. Now, they were closed three quarters of the way, with some dark shape wedged between the two doors. He flicked his tessen open and crept toward it, Kameyo and Chichiri flanking him on both sides. Chichiri reacted first—a sharp intake of breath.

 _"Gods."_

That "dark shape" blocking the doors from closing was a body. Whoever had tried to secure the stronghold—or escape it—had paid for that decision with their life. Tasuki would never know the man's identity, though, because most of his face was missing. Even approaching dusk, he could easily recognize the pattern of fang marks along the poor bastard's neck.

His grip tightened on the tessen, an attempt to stave off the tremors of anger and fear, but it wasn't enough to prevent a horrific question from invading his mind: If this man had been trying to escape and all the bandits had known the barrier had been destroyed, what could've possibly been going on _inside_ the stronghold that would make them willing to risk it out _here_?

"If the bandits were trying to hide, where would they go?" Kameyo murmured.

"The cellar," Tasuki answered. "There's…there's a hundred ways ya can get lost on th' way there, so it's the best place…ta escape an invasion."

 _But what if it_ wasn't _an invasion?_

Chichiri cocked his head toward the building as if he could hear the slightest creak from inside. "Do you know exactly how many bandits are living in the stronghold right now, no da?"

He didn't even have to think about it. "Me an' th' kid included, sixty-two."

Chichiri closed his eye and brought his fingers to his lips. It wasn't long before he made a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat. "I'm sorry, Tasuki," he said, opening his eye and meeting the bandit's gaze. "It's…too late for some of them."

Tasuki gritted his teeth. "How many?"

Chichiri frowned in concentration. "I'm only sensing…thirty-nine people inside right now…but some of them are fading fast."

"Is Takako one of those thirty-nine?" Kameyo asked, her voice high.

Chichiri furrowed his eyebrows and gazed intently at the ground. Then, he gave a violent jerk and his stricken gaze met Tasuki's. "…No."

Tasuki clamped his hand over the back of his neck. _Shit, shit, shit._ "An'…Kouji an' Anzu…?" he croaked.

Chichiri closed his eye and shook his head.

 _No._ Tasuki cursed under his breath. They couldn't be dead. They just…

 _Whatever it takes._ That _had_ been what he'd told them, hadn't it?

"No way," he muttered, starting to pace in a small circle, his hand shoved in his hair. "N-No way Kouji would…there's _no_ way—"

"Takako," Kameyo whispered, hugging her stomach. "Oh my gods…this is all my fault." The fading light slanted across her, highlighting the pale, mottled complexion of her face. She started to laugh. "Haha…I should have known…gods, I'm so stupid…I should have known—!" Her voice cracked.

" _Listen_ to me, Kameyo," Chichiri said, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Just because I can't sense them _now_ doesn't mean they're not alive. Remember, I haven't fully recovered. It's possible that my abilities aren't working as well as they should, under the influence of the poison—"

"Which is the most _likely_ option?" she spat, her eyes hard as tears leaked down her cheeks. She brushed his hands away. "If he's dead…" she croaked, pressing her hand to her mouth. Her shoulders started to shake. "If he's dead…"

" _Then_ what?" a voice called out. Tasuki whipped around, his gaze tracking across the field. "What happens if he's dead?"

Souta was leaning against the far side of the security fence, his body obscured mostly by shadow.

"You sonuvabitch!" Tasuki snarled.

"Souta…" Kameyo said, her teeth bared. She removed one of her swords from its scabbard and took a large, menacing step toward him. "What did you _do_?"

"What needed ta be done," he said casually, folding his arms. "Yer kid was becomin' a problem, so I solved it." His lip tipped up as he glanced sideways at Tasuki. "Kouji an' Anzu, too."

His response was cut off by the sound of growls emanating from the surrounding forest. Foliage rustled as countless demonic creatures slithered toward them for a closer look. Chichiri angled his shakujou toward the monsters in preparation, though he kept his gaze on Souta.

"Yer lyin'," Tasuki murmured. "Kouji woulda seen that comin' a mile away."

Souta chuckled. "So how do ya explain th' fact that he ain't here?" He reached for something in his pocket. "Ya don't want to take my word fer it, fine. Here." He tossed the small object toward them, and it landed with a delicate _plink!_ in the grass near Tasuki's feet.

Scowling, Tasuki crouched down and fumbled for the item; eventually, his fingers brushed against cool metal. He lifted the thing up to the retreating sunlight and his stomach plummeted.

Delicate apricot blossoms were painted onto a trio of silver teardrops dangling from a post. Anzu's earring. There was a copper tinge to the metal—blood—as if someone had forcibly ripped it from her ear.

Tasuki swore his vision went red.

"If ya hurt her…"

Souta snorted. "Funny, Kouji said th' same thing. Look how well that worked out for _him_."

"Stop playing games, Souta," Kameyo said. "Tell us where they are."

"Or what?"

"Or you're dead."

Tasuki turned to stare at her. Tear residue still clung to her cheeks but her expression was furious, her jaw clenched as she fisted the hilt of her dao. He had no doubt that she meant every word.

Souta threw his head back and laughed. "Ya gonna let 'er talk ta me that way, _kashira_?"

His mind whirled. Technically it wasn't Souta's fault, but…as many as twenty more of his men were still dead, his best friends likely being two of them. He clenched his fists as memories threatened to overcome him: a quiet inn on a moonless night; soft, satiny skin; cries _—please, Tasuki, stop—_

He felt his hands start to tremble, his chest start to jump erratically as he fought to keep the past from swallowing him whole. The heat in the air seemed to intensify as he realized the toxin was feeding off his despair, forcing it higher so he'd lose himself just like he did two years ago, but…knowing that wasn't enough to save him, was it? His gaze flew to Chichiri, who was holding his hand flat against his stomach, right over the wound that Taiitsukun had already healed. The poison in his veins, his soul, was still there, though.

Beside him, Kameyo vibrated with raw fury, her ki flaring like a beacon around her. Her gaze strayed to his and he flinched—an eerie red tinge coated her irises.

 _Fuck, if we don't kill Fujin soon…_ He couldn't finish the thought.

"Let me guess," Tasuki growled, shaking the thoughts away. "Ever since ya were attacked a couple days ago, ya've been hearin' voices in yer head, right?"

Souta's eyes narrowed, but he stayed silent.

"At first, ya think yer jus' losin' yer mind," Tasuki said, and his voice cracked, "but soon, it feels…normal. Yer jus' thinkin' easier, thinkin' faster. Yer subconscious is guidin' ya, that's all—lettin' ya realize what was true all along. An' you'd hafta be a fool, a coward, a fraud, if ya didn't act on those feelings."

Kameyo met his gaze again, a question in her eyes. He swallowed against the bile rising in the back of his throat. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen to that burgeoning trust she had for him, once she found out…

"Yer hurtin' the people ya love," he continued. " _Killin'_ them, even. But as much as it hurts ya, as much as it makes ya doubt yerself an' yer instincts…ya know yer doin' the right thing, even if no one else does."

Miaka's face flashed in his mind, her signature smile lighting up her vivid green eyes.

Souta snorted. "You've only ever been concerned about yerself. What would _you_ know about—"

" _Everythin',_ ya fuckin' moron!" he shouted. "What th' fuck did ya think I was doin' every time I left th' mountain, sittin' on my ass drinkin' mijiu?" He flung his arm out, gesturing to Chichiri. "We're th' only two seishi left 'cause everyone else sacrificed their lives fer every single person in this fuckin' country, including you. An' part of that meant goin' up against a demon who got in my fuckin' head an' made me almost kill my best friend an' _rape_ _the woman I loved!_ "

Souta recoiled and Tasuki heard Kameyo's pained gasp. He couldn't look at her now—it was bad enough just saying those words out loud.

 _ **Tasuki,** _Chichiri called to him, flooding him with a sense of reassurance. He took a deep, cleansing breath.

"I was a fuckin' _wreck_ fer months afterward. But 'Chiri never gave up on me; he saved my life. So as much as I wanna wring yer fuckin' neck, Souta, as much as I wanna pay ya back fer what ya did ta Anzu…" He raised his head and glared across the field. "I won't."

Souta's eyes widened.

Tasuki lowered his tessen and stared him dead in the eye. "Ya want a fight, Souta—I can see that. But it ain't gonna come from me."

In the corner of his eye, he noticed Kameyo was shaking, her shoulders stiff, hands trembling. Her face was hidden by thick strands of wavy black hair that had fallen free of her ponytail.

"Touchin' story," Souta said, but a note of hesitation had entered his voice. "But I don't—"

"—I get it now," Kameyo said, tilting her head up. A smirk curved her lips as she looked at Souta. "Fate sure is cruel, isn't it?" She took another step closer to him, her eyes glowing. "You have no idea that Fujin is using you. You think you're just enlightened, that you're special." She scoffed. "But you're not special at all, are you, Souta? You're just a tool. _Genrou_ is the special one."

Tasuki flinched. "Kameyo—"

"Fujin dumped all that toxic garbage in your head to hurt _Genrou_. Because _he's_ the chosen one. _He's_ the one with power. Fujin chose to manipulate you because you're disposable, but still close enough to Genrou to remind him of every way he's failed." A laugh bubbled up from her throat. "And you're too stupid to even realize it!"

"Shut up, you fuckin' bitch!" Souta shouted.

"What _else_ did they tell you to do, Souta?" Kameyo demanded. "Chichiri's barrier is gone now, but Fujin's still sealed, aren't they?" Her eyes widened, and then her head snapped up toward the sky. " _Shit_. The barrier—!"

Tasuki stared down at the ground. Chichiri's barrier hadn't been the only one protecting the mountain.

"Souta…" he said slowly, reaching out through the soles of his boots to feel the mountain's pulse—Daichi's heartbeat. There was nothing there. He groaned out in pain; he felt as if he'd been socked in the gut. "What. Did. You do?"

" _I_ didn't do nothin'," Souta said. He jerked his thumb toward the trees. "But from what I hear, th' demons 'round 'ere are havin' a good ol' time destroyin' those shrines fer that wretched demon. Good riddance."

There was no way Daichi was going to contain Fujin now. If he was even still alive.

Tasuki stared at Souta, his chest heaving. It would be so easy, wouldn't it? To raise his fan, to say the words…no, to pull out a dagger and—!

"Tasuki," Chichiri murmured. "The bandits inside are still in trouble."

He shook his head, reaching up to rub his temple. His forehead was pounding. What the fuck was wrong with him?

"But if we don't do something about Souta, and Fujin, everyone in the damn region will die," Kameyo spat. "Godsdamn it. I need to find my son."

The roaring in the trees grew louder.

"I'm sorry, Genrou," she said, "but if it's a choice between saving Souta and saving Takako—"

"—Oh, my dear sister," a booming voice called from the darkness. "If only you focused more on saving yourself."

A small flash of black shot from the trees toward them. Kameyo whipped around and flung her arm up, slicing through the air with her sword. The blade cleaved the object neatly into two pieces that landed in the grass on either side of her and rolled a few feet. Tasuki's gaze strayed to the piece nearest him.

One end of a thighbone had been sharpened into a deadly spear. Judging by the tissue and blood that still clung to the surface, it was fresh.

"You son of a bitch," Kameyo growled, glancing around. "Where are you?" Her ki flared brighter. _"Fujin!"_

"To the left," Chichiri murmured, and Tasuki turned his head just as footsteps crunched on the ground in that direction. It was a bandit, thick-necked and muscular, with an axe held in his meaty grip. The man grinned.

"How nice of Taiitsukun-sama to unseal your powers for me," he said to Kameyo, slinging the axe over his shoulder. "Now I have everything I need."

Souta frowned. "Gorou?" He pushed off the fence and faced the bandit. "What th' hell are ya talkin' about? Everythin' ya need fer what?"

Gorou glanced at Souta with a sly smirk. "Thank you for your hard work, ningen," he said. "But I'll take it from here."

Glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows all around them. The steady hissing rose higher as demonic creatures prowled into the open. In the sky above, darkness had finally set in, but a hazy red smog obscured all but the brightest stars in the sky.

"Fujin," Kameyo growled. "Where. Is. Takako?"

Gorou grinned wider as he slipped back into his usual drawl. "Why don't ya come wit me an' we'll find out."

She scowled. "You know I'd do anything for my son. All you'd have to do is show him to me and I'd follow you anywhere." She smirked. "But you haven't. Which means…Takako…you couldn't get to him. Which means he's not dead."

Gorou's expression didn't change, but as if in confirmation, his hand tightened around the axe's handle.

Kameyo crouched low, her swords at the ready. "Which means…there's nothing holding me back, is there?"

 _Kameyo…_

"And I swear to you Fujin, if there's even a _hair_ out of place on his head, I'll make you beg for death."

Gorou cocked his head. "But Kameyo-sama…what do you think that bone was?" he purred. "A peace offering courtesy of your son. You couldn't recognize it?"

Violet light pulsed around her as she took another deliberate step forward. The treetops shook with the fury of the wind rustling through the field.

"Chichiri," she barked, "how many demons are there?"

"Hundreds. Lured by the promise of bloodshed."

"Are there any in the stronghold right now?" Tasuki said.

"No. Just humans, no da."

"Who deserves your loyalty?" Daichi had asked. It had seemed like pure nonsense at the time. Now he felt the weight of the question like a noose around his neck. What was the answer?

He didn't know.

 _Chichiri…I want ya ta go help th' guys,_ he projected to him. _I'll take it from here._

 _ **Are you sure, no da?**_

 _Yeah…_ He raised his fan. _I'm not gonna lose. This time, I'm ready._

 _ **Tasuki…Fujin will try to absorb enough of Kameyo's power to break into Daichi's shrine. Be careful.**_

Tasuki's eyes darted to Kameyo. Rage had stiffened her muscles, her eyes hardened as she stared down Gorou. If Takako was…if the boy was actually…he couldn't even imagine what she'd do.

 _I'm not gonna let 'em,_ Tasuki vowed to Chichiri. He began muttering the tessen's incantation under his breath as he scanned the forest. _They're gonna have ta get by me first._

He saw Chichiri nod in the corner of his eye. **_Good luck._**

 _ **You too…oniihan.**_

Chichiri disappeared in a flash of red light.

Gorou chuckled. "This almost feels like old times," he said, looking at Kameyo. "Me, you…" His eyes slid to Tasuki. "And Daichi. Everything old is new again, it would appear." He pointed at Kameyo. "Take the woman," he shouted toward the forest. "Do whatever you want with the warriors. Once I have Daichi, you will have your reward."

Kameyo's body glowed brightly…then vanished.

Tasuki swung his fan as the horde of demons advanced. "Rekka…SHIN'NEN!"

Vicious flames soared over the field, devouring the first wave of demons in a fiery wall of hellfire. Arcs of purple light sliced through the flames, coaxing them higher before slamming into the demons. Tasuki watched Souta in the corner of his eye; the bandit had his back pressed against the fence, eyes wide as he watched the battle ensuing in front of him. Gorou was nowhere to be found.

"We have to get rid of the demons first." Tasuki flinched as Kameyo's voice sounded from the empty space beside him. "Then we can take care of Fujin."

"I agree an' all, but it sure would be nice if ya gave some warnin' before disappearin' like that!" he shot back.

"But what fun would that be."

But her voice was wrong—flat, with a slight edge to it. The wind whipped into a funnel, swallowing half a dozen demons whole before shredding them into pieces.

"Listen ta me, Kameyo," he shouted. "We're _gonna_ get him back."

"I'm planning on it," she growled, moments before another wind blast ripped a pair of wolf demons apart.

"Rekka…SHIN'NEN!"

A column of flame burst in front of him, impeding the demons' assault. Violet flooded his vision, and then a hand clamped around his forearm. He jerked in surprise as a feeling like ice-cold water slithered over his skin from top to bottom.

"Senpuu!" Kameyo shouted.

The fire exploded into a hellish blue and white conflagrations, whipping around the two of them in a frenetic dance. Tasuki flinched instinctively, but he couldn't feel anything—he could hear the grass sizzling and smell the stench of flesh as it blistered and burst and then disintegrated, but as close as the flames were, he couldn't sense even a slight pinprick of heat.

He glanced down. Fuck, where'd his legs go?

"Don't worry, you're not dead," Kameyo said with a snort. Her grip tightened on his arm, and goosebumps prickled on his skin. "You're just invisible."

"A _warnin'_ next time?" he snapped in her direction.

"Gee, you're welcome."

"Meihou," a voice called out beyond the flames. "That power belongs to me!"

"They're gonna try ta absorb your power now that it's unsealed," Tasuki warned.

She grunted. "Figures. Do you think we made a dent?"

Tasuki frowned. "Can't tell—can't see nothin'. But I'm gettin' th' impression these demons are only here 'cause Fujin promised them somethin.' We jus' gotta offer 'em somethin' better, that's all."

"And what the hell would _that_ be?"

Tasuki grinned, though he knew she couldn't see it. "Well, if they hurry up an' get th' fuck off my mountain, then we won't have th' chance ta kill 'em, will we?"

She snorted. "Seems like you need to play up that 'divine, kickass warrior blessed by the gods' trait of yours."

Tasuki chuckled. "Works fer me."

A fresh spring breeze sailed past him, snuffing out the last of the dying flames. Kameyo released his arm, and he shivered as he watched his body materialize before his eyes. "Go for it," she said.

Another gust of wind whipped over the edge of the field, and then Kameyo appeared a few feet to his right. Even the mountain itself seemed to hold its breath, and then lithe black shapes crawled or slithered toward them, a steady, thrumming _grooooooooooo_ , the sound of countless demons growling, rose higher and higher in the dark woods.

"So tell me: What did they promise ya?" Tasuki called to them. "Power? Fresh meat?" He spun in a slow circle, his tessen leaning casually against his shoulder. "Revenge?" He sneered, gesturing between himself and Kameyo. "Does it look like y'all are gonna get any of that now? Ya didn't _really_ think ya'd stand a chance against a Suzaku seishi, did ya? …Sorry, that's _two_ seishi. And then we've got this lady—" He jerked his thumb at Kameyo. "—who's honestly pretty damn scary when she's angry. _I_ wouldn't want ta pick a fight with her, so I'd cut yer losses if I were ya."

He paused dramatically, lifting his hand up and cupping it around his ear. "No takers?" He shrugged. "Oh, well. Don't say I didn't warn ya." He closed his eyes and, with a deep breath, poured a massive wave of energy into the diamond blades of his fan.

"Rekka…SAIRYŪJIN!"

His kanji flashed brightly on his forearm as flames sailed in a semicircle toward the demons.

"SHINPŪ!" Kameyo shouted over the roar. The wind combined with the flames in a shimmering tornado. The intense heat forced Tasuki to take several steps back, but he stared in awe at it — the raw power crackling in the air sent his hair standing on end. On the other side of the vortex, he glimpsed Kameyo with her hands up, her eyes closed as she concentrated on containing the blaze. She clenched her fists, and the vacuum increased, sucking in the last of the demons that had escaped the initial attack.

The sound of grass crunching behind him had Tasuki spinning on his heel and striking out with his tessen.

The polished surface clanged against Gorou's massive axe, Tasuki's arm throbbing from the force of the blow. Gorou's eyes were bright red and wild, a savage grin splitting his lips as he threw more weight behind his weapon and forced Tasuki to grip the tessen with both hands.

"We meet again," Fujin said, their voice muffled by the sound of the whistling wind. "I picked this vessel solely with the intent of fighting you, one on one. I figured you'd enjoy the practice."

"When I get ya out in th' open, I'm gonna rip ya ta pieces, ya sonuvabitch," Tasuki snarled.

Gorou veered left, sending Tasuki off balance before he swung out again with his axe. With a burst of speed, Tasuki ducked under the blade and ran. Once he'd created enough distance between him and the bandit, he spun around. "Rekka…" was out of his mouth before he could stop himself, but as the tessen began to glow, he cursed inwardly and sheathed it. Gorou snickered as Tasuki pulled out the short sword at his side instead. Behind them, the vortex's loud roar finally faded and died.

"Ah, so you've lost some of that fire already?" Fujin asked. "It appeared as if you had no difficulty killing your precious men before."

 _"Some kashira you_ _are"_ echoed in his head.

"Not to mention the fact that you left Kouji and Anzu here to fend for themselves, knowing this stronghold was full of bandits who I had influence over," Fujin continued. They bared their teeth. "Now most of them are dead."

"Shut th' fuck up!" Tasuki shouted.

Bright violet flashed in the periphery of his vision. He squinted as a gust of wind knocked Gorou from his feet.

"Fujin," Kameyo seethed. "I'll make you regret the day you ever saw my face."

Gorou stood up slowly, plucking his axe from where it had fallen beside him. He grinned. "Taiitsukun-sama did quite a number on you, I see. Your ki is hundreds of times stronger than before. But you cannot control it."

" _Urusai._ You don't know _anything_ about what I can handle. I'll rip you to shreds."

"You mean you'll rip _Gorou_ to shreds."

"If that's what it takes."

Tasuki whirled to face her. "Ka—"

"Senpuu!" she roared.

Gorou let his axe drop to the ground before raising his palms up in front of him. He gave a small jerk once the gale slammed against him, but he stood firm as his body began to pulse with a dark red aura. It spread quickly until it had completely consumed the violet rays of Kameyo's wind.

"Did you ningen forget who I am?" The voice slithered over Tasuki, carried by the wind. "Did you _really_ think you could use my own element against me?"

Gorou flung out his arm, and bursts of wind shot at them like arrows. Tasuki jumped to the left but wasn't fast enough; he threw up his arms to protect his face as whips of concentrated air carved razor-thin cuts into his bare arms and shredded his clothes.

"Let me guess: Taiitsukun-sama told you that you could defeat me using my sister's power," Gorou yelled. "But did she also tell you what will happen if you _do_?"

The wind picked up speed, surrounding them in a whirl of dead leaves and soot. Tasuki coughed into the crook of his arm, his head spinning. How did you defeat someone you couldn't kill?

Unbidden, he recalled the sight of Chiriko lying across his lap. Gasping in pain until he drew his final breath.

Tasuki gritted his teeth. He couldn't let that happen again; this time had to be different.

"Stop…talking!" Kameyo snapped.

"Foolish girl!" Fujin cackled. "Let me show you what _real_ power is."

He raised his hands higher and clenched his fists.

Tasuki gasped, his hands flying to his neck. A heavy weight dropped on his chest, constricting his lungs. His throat burned, a million invisible needles sinking into his skin. Dark fog crept in on the edges of his consciousness. Fuck, he couldn't _breathe_!

Clawing at her chest, Kameyo dropped to her knees beside him, her skin pale.

"How does that feel?" Gorou whispered, smirking even as his eyes were closed in concentration. "You can thank your friends houshi-sama and Daichi-sama…for restoring enough of my power to kill the likes of you properly."

Tasuki fought to keep his eyes open. His vision doubled, twin images of Gorou standing in front of him. The toxic air seared his insides with every breath, but this was a whole nother level of hell. He reached for his tessen, but forming words was beyond his grasp, anyway. He crashed to his knees, his chest heaving fruitlessly. His vision blackened for a split second, and then he felt buzzing in his ears before he could hear nothing at all.

 _Yer worthless,_ a voice whispered in his head. _Ya deserve ta die._

No…he wasn't… He blinked rapidly as his head lowered to the ground against his will. He bit his tongue. _Stay awake, damnit!_

Everyone was…counting on him…

He slammed to the ground, his grip loosening on his sword.

 _ **Get up, Genrou!**_

He grimaced, his eyes sliding closed. He recognized that high-pitched, girlish voice. _Rei…rei?_

 _ **You can do it! Get up, ya big bum!**_

Tasuki blinked his eyes open. A figure was standing on the edge of the forest, a flash of indecision crossing his face.

 _Souta._

Fury flared in his gut, but his eyes slid closed again.

 _Fuckin'…hell—_

Gorou's enraged yell startled him into consciousness. And then he was inhaling sharply—blessed air, toxic though it was, filling his lungs and clearing the haze in his brain. Tasuki jerked up to a sitting position, gasping as he rubbed at his throat.

"Get th' fuck up, ya worthless piece of shit!"

Tasuki's head snapped up in the direction of the voice. Over the top of the fence, a man nocked another arrow against his bow and pulled the string taut. "Yer gonna let that motherfucker kill ya after everythin' they've done? Ya better prove I was right ta keep rootin' fer ya!" He let the arrow fly.

Gorou stood rigid as the arrow sailed toward him; his eyes flashed red, and an arc of energy cleaved the projectile into harmless splinters. This time he waved his hands, and another, stronger wind blast raced toward the fence. The archer let out a surprised yelp and disappeared from view just before the wall exploded in a shower of rotten wood. With a scowl, Gorou reached down and wrenched the arrowhead from his chest.

Controlling the wind wasn't easy, was it? Especially if you had to maintain a possession at the same time…

"Jus' do what ya can, Masahiro!" Tasuki shouted. "I'll handle th' rest!"

Gorou let out another ferocious yell and turned to face him, his dark aura swirling around him with rage.

 _"Senpuu!"_

Once the tornado had consumed Gorou, Kameyo snatched up one of her swords from the grass at her feet and advanced on the spot, her eyes hard with violent intent. With a bright flash, Gorou burst from the eye of the storm, his axe raised high over his head, but Kameyo shimmered and disappeared. Gorou dropped hard in a crouch, the tip of his axe slamming into the ground and sending dirt flying everywhere.

A volley of arrows sailed toward him, but his answering gust obliterated them with little more than a blink of an eye. Then Gorou roared in fury as he flung his arm again and ripped another huge chunk out of the stronghold's security fence.

"Give it up, Fujin!" Tasuki said. "Ya don't have any more victims ta jump into. It's jus' you an' me!"

Gorou's eyes flashed as another powerful gale whipped through the clearing. Before his eyes, Tasuki watched long gashes open on Gorou's face and arms. Dark circles surrounded the bandit's emotionless, sunken eyes, and his skin was ashen.

His eyes widening in horror, Tasuki realized that the possession was slowly killing him.

Gorou grinned. "There are always more."

"Not for you," Kameyo's disembodied voice rang out.

Gorou dodged an invisible blow and lunged back. He spun in a loose semicircle, creating a slow whirlwind that careened right into the fence.

"Godsdamnit!" Masahiro shouted. "I knew I shoulda stayed my ass inside!"

"Stop complainin'!" Tasuki said, grinning despite himself. "Yer still alive, ain't ya?"

"No thanks to you!"

"You've failed," Gorou called out. "Your son is dead. So what else do you have to be fighting for?"

"SHINPŪ!"

Tasuki cursed aloud as bright violet light illuminated the field, temporarily blinding him. His feet slipped on the grass as a huge cyclone—larger still than the one that had swallowed the demon horde—rose up in front of him and reached high toward the clouds. The old wooden fence creaked and groaned, the slats trembling as they strained against the strips of weathered, weak rope holding them together.

"You feel it, don't you?" Gorou yelled. "The power? The rage?" He laughed haughtily as a shimmering shield of red sprang up in front of him, blocking the brunt of Kameyo's attack. "Embrace it!"

Godsdamnit. Fujin was goading her on purpose, and Tasuki'd be damned if it wasn't working!

"Kameyo! Calm down!"

"Stay out of this," she snapped, dropping into a defensive crouch. "This doesn't involve you."

 _Like hell it doesn't!_

A rustling noise caught his attention, and Tasuki turned toward the forest. There were more demons out there—fewer than before, but definitely enough to prove a distraction he _really_ didn't need right now.

"Kameyo!" Tasuki yelled. "Ya need ta—" He choked. _Godsdamnit, not again!_

 _All of this woulda been over by now if ya used yer tessen_ , his subconscious whispered.

 _No…I'm not…gonna turn…on my friends!_

Another flurry of arrows shot toward Gorou from his left. He rotated slightly to slice his arm across his body and deflect them, giving Kameyo the split second she needed to strengthen her attack. She swung her sword, creating a blast that cleaved through Fujin's shield and headed straight for the bandit.

Gorou struck out with his right arm, deflecting the blast at the last moment. It soared through the air like a shooting star…

And veered toward Souta.

Ignoring the burning in his throat, Tasuki lunged for it, pulling his tessen free. His vision blurred again, but whether from the howling wind, his oxygen-starved brain, or the speed in which he moved, he didn't know. All he was aware of was his body ramming into Souta's, knocking the man out of the way right before the impact that surely would've killed him.

But now, _he_ was in its crosshairs.

"Rekka…SAIRYŪJIN!"

Blue-tinted flames formed a wall around him, and the wind shrieked in ecstasy as the elements collided. The invisible vice on his lungs vanished, replaced by the sensation of bitter smoke clogging his windpipe. As the flames ate away at what little vegetation remained, Tasuki hoisted Souta to his feet and pushed him toward the stronghold. "Get outta here!" he shouted. "Don't stop until yer inside!"

"Why?" Souta said, his teeth chattering. "Wh-Why…why would you…?"

"Because I'm not a heartless bastard, ya fuckin' moron!" Tasuki snapped. "Ya made a vow when ya joined, didn't ya? That ya would protect this mountain wit all ya got? _Right?_ Ya think that's any different fer me?"

"B-But…"

 _"Go!"_ Another energy blast, this time red, raced toward them, and Tasuki cursed. "Rekka SHIN'NEN!"

Where the hell was Chichiri?

 _Yer really strugglin', ain't ya?_ his inner doubts whispered. _It's obvious who's the real leader 'round 'ere, an' it ain't you._

Tasuki tasted blood as he waved his fan again, quenching the flames. _You can try all ya want, Fujin,_ he thought viciously, _but I'll never forget who I am. Never. Again._

Kameyo and Gorou were circling each other like wild dogs, with the feral expressions to match. Tasuki tightened his grip on his tessen.

 _If you killed 'em both…that would end all of this fer good, wouldn't it?_

"Souta," Tasuki grunted, " _now_ would be a good time fer ya ta run, buddy."

 _Kill 'em. Jus' kill 'em both._

Tasuki shook his head. Now, when he closed his eyes, he saw a faraway inn. He hissed and pressed a hand to his forehead as another enraged cry of "Senpuu!" sent the wind howling again.

Behind him, Souta scoffed. "Ya think pushin' me out th' way makes up fer all the other shit ya've done?"

 _Godsdamnit, not now._

"Do ya think it makes up fer all th' times ya've abandoned us?" Souta spat. "All th' times we showed up fer ya only ta have our loyalty thrown in our faces?"

Against his better judgment, Tasuki turned to face him, careful to keep his face blank. Souta's fists were clenched at his sides, his eyes wide and tortured. Heavy bags had formed underneath the man's eyes, a sharp contrast to the sickly pallor of his skin.

"Stop tryin' ta get under my skin, Souta," Tasuki murmured. "It ain't gonna work."

"It was Hikou, wasn't it?" Souta smiled, but it was shaky. "Th' demon that g-g-got ta ya. Or so _you_ say, anyway."

Soft, satiny skin. An innkeeper, quivering in fear. Shouts of fear, of betrayal, as self-loathing festered in his gut.

The roar in his ears got louder.

"What th' hell do you know about that?" Tasuki snapped.

xxxxxx

 _"I can't do this, Chichiri," he sobbed, his nails digging into the flesh of his forearms as he hugged himself. "I feel like I'm losin' my mind."_

 _"It's only been a couple months, no da. It will get better—"_

 _"—I flinch every time I see water now, is that supposed to be me gettin' fuckin' better?"_

xxxxxx

Souta laughed. "It's all right, kashira—I hear the Suzaku no miko was a looker." He smirked, raising his eyebrows. "I don't blame ya."

"Souta…" Tasuki growled, his hand tightening, involuntarily, on his tessen.

 _He don't deserve ta live, does he?_ his subconscious whispered. _You'd be doin' him, an' yerself, a favor._

"Yer a failure," Souta said, his voice reaching a high, hysteric note. "Because of you, K-K-Kentaro is dead! And Ryouga an' Eiji, too!" His eyes glistened, his face contorted with maniacal glee. "You think yer lil' token pity makes up fer any of that?!"

Tasuki squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "Yer right," he murmured. "It doesn't."

But giving up wasn't an option.

A piercing scream reverberated off the treetops.

Tasuki whipped his head around on pure instinct alone. "Ka—"

The hairs rose on the back of his neck, and he ducked. Cool metal grazed his arm, ripping another tear into his shirt sleeve. Tasuki shot his hand out and grabbed Souta's wrist—twisted, much more forcefully than he needed to, and the bandit let out a sharp cry of pain. The knife tumbled to the ground, and Tasuki hauled back and punched Souta in the stomach. When Souta doubled over, Tasuki wrapped his opposite hand around his neck.

A gurgling noise escaped Souta's throat. He lifted his hands to try to wrench himself free, but Tasuki narrowed his eyes and increased the pressure—not enough to restrict his breathing, he reasoned, but definitely enough to leave one hell of a bruise.

"Is _this_ what ya want?" Tasuki growled, his face inches from Souta's. "Is this what ya've been waitin' fer?!"

Of course Souta couldn't respond, but the murderous glare he was shooting Tasuki was answer enough.

"I coulda snapped ya in half days ago, ya piecea shit," he snarled, loosening his grip just a bit. "Is this _really_ a game ya wanna play?"

"D-Do it," Souta rasped, his dark eyes bulging. "You've always known…ya were better than us…" He curled his lip. "So prove it."

 _Let go,_ Tasuki thought as his fingers clenched tighter around Souta's throat again. _What th' fuck are ya doin'? Let. Go._

But his body wasn't listening to him. Deep in the pit of his gut was a festering ball of pure rage. This ungrateful scum…all the sacrifices Tasuki'd made…all the times he'd…! And this?!

His vision started to blur; Souta's face dissolved into smudges of color and shapes. Tasuki groaned and blinked rapidly, shaking his head. _Focus. Fo-cus! Ya can't lose it now._

When his eyes refocused, it wasn't Souta's neck he had his hand wrapped around, but Taka's.

The sight hit him full force in the chest. Tasuki hissed and his hand opened; Souta crashed to his knees, gasping, but his eyes gleamed with some kind of sadistic form of triumph. Tasuki stepped back, his hand pressed to his burning abdomen. _Fuck, this isn't real. This can't be—_

Searing pain slammed into his back, forcing a strained cry from his mouth. Liquid fire dug its way into—and through—his muscles. He reached up reflexively and fumbled along his vest until his fingertips brushed against a thin, wooden shaft protruding from his flesh. With wide eyes, he turned around.

Masahiro still had his arm outstretched from nocking, and firing, the arrow. The look in his eyes told Tasuki he hadn't missed—the arrow had hit its intended target. Even from that far away, Tasuki could see, or maybe sense, the slow grin that was tugging at the man's lips.

 _Who Deserves Your Loyalty?_

His vision swam again. Though the burning was quickly subsiding, numbness replaced it, leaching up his shoulder blades— _poison_. Tasuki tightened his grip on his tessen, his gaze flying to edge of the field, where Kameyo was stalking toward Gorou's prone form on the ground, her sword raised above her head and primed for the killing blow. Blood splattered her right side from her waist down to her calf, and the aura pulsating around her alternated quickly between shades of crimson and violet. From the look of it, Gorou's leg was broken, and as he stared up at Kameyo, pure, unadulterated fear flashed in his eyes. Fujin had left his body.

Which meant that if her blow was allowed to land, she'd be killing an innocent man.

Yet she was so focused on her target, she hadn't even noticed another bandit creeping up behind her, dark energy curling around his outstretched fingers. Fujin hadn't lied, had they? There were _always_ more.

 _Who Deserves Your Loyalty?_

He gritted his teeth as the poison trickled through his veins, toward his heart. He didn't have long before he'd be completely paralyzed. He had to move—think—quickly.

He raised the tessen slowly, purposefully, toward Kameyo.

"R-Rek…ka…SAIRYŪJIN!"


	13. Twilight's Embrace

**Author's Note:** I have no excuses for why this is taking so long except that being an adult sucks and so does depression…oh wait, that's two excuses. Anyone still reading this? It's so drafty in here. But no, I actually didn't lie; the story is finished and sitting on my hard drive. I'm just proofreading and tweaking as I'm going along, but I'm a procrastinator. This chapter actually adds a completely new scene.

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen: Twilight's Embrace  
**

 _…Oh, Houjun. Dear Houjun._

Chichiri shook his head to clear his thoughts, but he knew it was a useless endeavor. _That_ voice would never truly leave his memory.

 _Look_ _what they've done,_ Kouran's phantom proclaimed. _Look what they've done to themselves._

He didn't need "her" to draw extra attention to it—he was absorbing the devastation just fine on his own… His hand tightened on his staff. Well, in a matter of speaking.

From the clearing in front of the stronghold, he'd aimed for the one area of the massive building that'd had the most ki signatures in it, although they were fading quickly. That brought him here, to the dining hall. But it was…there really weren't any words strong enough to describe it, what he was seeing. There were bodies everywhere. _Blood,_ everywhere. This room, usually filled with so much boisterous laughter and jeering and warm energy, was eerie in its silence and carnage. One man's throat had been slashed so viciously, so messily, that he'd been nearly _decapitated._ His corpse lay in the space right in front of the door, his fingers frozen in a clawing motion, as if he'd been attacked from behind as he was scrambling away.

He resisted the urge to vomit. _Why in the world…would someone ever do something like this to another human being?_

"Kouran" chuckled. _Oh, Houjun. You know why._

But with him, it'd been different. He'd never _meant_ to kill Hikou…it'd been an accident. He reached up to rub the raised scar over his missing eye. But to attack someone like this on _purpose_ …

 _They aren't in their right minds; they're being manipulated by Fujin,_ he stressed. He hated that he even needed to offer a rebuke to the phantom trying to seduce him; combined with a weird disorienting fog beginning to dull his senses, his growing feeling of horror was making it hard to think clearly. _Human hands may have done this, but ultimately they_ weren't _responsible._

 _Are you sure?_ Kouran asked. _How could Fujin manipulate these men at all unless they were already tainted by hate, bloodlust, and jealousy? You know full well what humans are capable of. Even your hands aren't clean, my love. A kesa and a mask can't change that, so why fight it?  
_

"I never said I was fighting it," he muttered, only to regret it instantly.

 _Then…why are_ _you_ hiding _it?_

He'd never worn a mask for his own benefit. People were disturbed by his—

A weak, wet cough jerked him out of his reverie. It was barely audible, muffled by something like cloth. Chichiri narrowed his eye and stepped farther into the room, the floor groaning loudly with each step. "Can anyone hear me?" he called out. "My name is Chichiri. Please, if you are conscious…I'm here to help, no da. I can heal you. Whatever— _whoever_ did all of this, it's over now. You're safe."

He strained to see clearly in the dim light. A single lantern's flame sputtered on the far wall, the oil glistening at the bottom of the nearly dry fount. He took a deep breath and focused on pinpointing any traces of life, but suddenly, there was nothing. Someone was coughing, which meant at least one man was clearly still alive, but Chichiri couldn't sense their ki at all. Not even a faint spark.

The realization made him take a step back, pressing his shoulder against the door frame. He'd always been able to sense ki—it'd been as natural to him as breathing for years. So why—?

Dull scrapes on rough wood preceded the butcher's knife that spiraled through the air toward him. Chichiri flung his shakujou out and the blade smacked harmlessly against the rings. "I am _not_ here to hurt you," he said. "There's no need for defensiveness, especially in your condi—"

"—You ain't got any idea what condition I'm in," the man snapped from the dark corner on Chichiri's left. Ah. So the bandit wasn't just in a spiritual blind spot, but his physical one, too. He turned to face that direction fully and finally spied the bandit curled in the corner perpendicular to the door. A body was draped face first over his upper thighs, another lying on the floor beside him, eyes closed and face angled toward the ceiling. Chichiri honestly couldn't tell if the man had been mourning the dead bandits beside and on top of him or if he was the reason they were dead in the first place.

"Then talk to me," he murmured, taking a tentative step toward him. "I'm not sure if we've met, but I'm—"

"—I _know_ who you are. All of this shit is _your_ fault, too!"

"How so?" He took another careful step, aware of the fact that he was woefully exposed right now. The fog in his mind was getting worse, but he could feel "Kouran" standing behind him, so close that her breaths were a tickle across the nape of his neck. He slapped at the skin like he was battling a hungry mosquito. _Be careful, Houjun,_ she whispered, but her voice was taunting.

"What did I do to cause this?"

 _Everything,_ Kouran purred.

"Yer one of them—a _seishi_ ," the bandit growled. "If Genrou wasn't so concerned with you an' all that Suzaku bullshit, he coulda been here an'…" He inhaled sharply, only to start coughing again.

Chichiri reached into the pocket of his robe and removed the small ceramic jar that contained Mitsukake's holy water. Ironically, if he had used it for its intended purpose by now, navigating the darkness wouldn't be such a big obstacle, but he couldn't linger on that train of thought much more at the moment. There was a man dying right in front of him, and he could help. That was all that mattered.

 _You couldn't save me,_ Kouran whispered, but this time it was coming from inside his own head.

Chichiri knelt in front of the bandit and held the jar out. "This is holy water, no da. If you let me use it on you, all of your wounds will be completely healed."

 _Why couldn't you save_ me _, Houjun?_

His fingers tightened on the jar. "Please, you can hate me all you want, but don't let your life end here merely because of spite."

The man's head slumped forward. "Everyone else is already dead. Who gives a shit."

" _I_ do. And everyone else isn't dead. I can feel their energy, right now." His heart clenched as he said it. As if it weren't enough that Fujin's toxin was causing him to lose control of his spiritual powers and hallucinate that his dead lover was talking to him, now it was forcing him to lie, too. Or maybe that was just him? "But they—and you—need help right away. I can heal you, and you can help me find and care for your friends." He shook his head. "It's not over. And Tasuki is right outside the stronghold fighting the demon who did this, as we speak."

That seemed to arose some interest on the bandit's part. His forehead creased as he shuddered with pain. "Kashi—Genrou. He's here?"

"Yes. I promise you: this isn't over, but we'll finish it."

It was hard to make out any more than the sharp angles and jagged lines that composed the man's face, but on some intuitive level, Chichiri felt him hesitate, his anger lowering to a simmer instead of its former boil. When he spoke, his voice came out in heavy pants. "He…didn't abandon us?"

"No, never." He gestured forward with the small ceramic jug. "May I…?"

The man didn't say anything, but he shifted so he was leaning heavily on his left hip, pressing his hand against a large bloodstain slashing across his abdomen. Without another word, Chichiri gripped the corpse pinning the man's legs and gently moved it aside. After uncapping the jug, he carefully poured the sacred water through the ragged tear in the bandit's shirt. He guided the trickles of warm water with his cupped palm, keeping them from escaping the area around the wound. A slight tingle spread up his hand as the knife wound began emitting a dull red light. Chichiri's head suddenly felt a little clearer—probably because of touching the water. But he still couldn't sense anyone's ki. After he'd poured a handful or so, he wedged the plug back into the jug's opening and waited. He couldn't afford to use any more water than that. Who knew how many other people were fatally wounded.

The bandit stared in awe at his stomach, poking and prodding the skin around his nonexistent wound as he pulled in deep, gratifying breaths of air. " _Holy shit._ "

" _Now_ do you believe me?" Chichiri asked, though his tone was gentle. "I'm only here to help you. Tasuki is a Reikaku bandit, and the Reikaku bandits are your family, right? Then that makes you _my_ family, no da, because Tasuki and I are brothers." Instinctively he rubbed at his knee, but the raised skin of his symbol wasn't glowing. Come to think of it, it hadn't been in a while.

 _You don't deserve that power anymore, Houjun,_ Kouran explained. _You're tainted. Poisoned. Broken._

"S-Souta said that—"

Chichiri shook his head sharply. "—He lied. Or rather, _he_ wasn't the one who was speaking those words, no da. That demon outside is—"

A tremor zigzagged through the floor before a loud _BOOM_ filled the air. The bandit let out a strangled cry and curled into himself. Chichiri braced himself as another _BOOM_ preceded a shockwave that shattered the last remaining lantern in the room. Total darkness fell over them like a heavy blanket…or a funeral shroud.

Chichiri was now completely blind.

"H-Houshi-sama?" the bandit said. "What th' hell was that?"

"It sounded like a wind blast, no da—that's likely good news, believe it or not." He slipped the jug back into his kesa and pulled his shakujou tight against his chest. "What's your name, no da?"

"Qiang."

"You sound young," he said, to distract himself from the rising unease in his stomach. "How old are you?"

"I…I'm eighteen, sir." He paused. "Ah, s-sorry about what I said earlier. I, uh…my mama would kill me if she found out I was cussin' at a holy man, especially a Suzaku seishi. But I really thought I was gonna d-die."

"It's all right." He strained his ears to pick out every minuscule sound in the background while feigning lightheartedness. "I forgive you for the knife, too, just so you know."

"I…what? What knife?"

A distant crack echoed in the air, followed by another, smaller, shockwave. The uneven tables wobbled, and broken glass shifted and cracked somewhere on the other side of the room.

His mental fog was coalescing again. Chichiri took a deep breath and pinched his forearm to force some alertness back into his body. "The…the knife you threw at me, just now? When I first entered the room. It came from this direction."

Qiang pulled back, his hands lifted in surrender. "…I didn't throw anythin'. I couldn't even clench a fist before ya healed me jus' now."

Chichiri's neck tingled as he whipped around to face the doorway. The dining hall had been built in the center of the complex, so it had no windows. A sliver of starlight pouring in from the hallway provided a blurry rendering of the world around them, but it wasn't nearly enough to be helpful. He could make out the shape of a nearby table, and the bodies lying beneath it, but that didn't tell him whether those men were alive or dead. When he'd first teleported, he'd sensed roughly twenty people in here. Yet now Qiang was sitting right next to him, talking to him, and as far as his spiritual power was concerned he didn't exist.

If someone in the dining hall was healthy enough to throw a _butcher knife_ with that much precision, they were certainly healthy enough to speak. Which meant they were choosing not to.

"Qiang," Chichiri whispered. "Have you been conscious this whole time?"

"Huh? I…well, I may have faded in an' out from th' pain, but I…" His voice cracked. "Li…Li got stabbed right in th' back an' fell on top of me, so I…it was just easier to play dead."

"Do you have a weapon?"

Another loud rumble sounded from outside, reminding Chichiri of thunder. Kameyo was fighting with everything she had, which could either mean impending victory or defeat or something much, much worse. To his credit, Qiang recognized the change in Chichiri's mood instantly and slowly stretched out his arm, grabbing for something on the floor to his left. When he pulled his arm back, he was holding a short sword covered by a tattered leather sheath.

"Not everyone believed Souta, did they?" Chichiri murmured. "Not everyone turned against Tasuki and Reikaku. But…which side was winning?"

Qiang scoffed. " _Sides_? Ya really believe people were takin' _sides_ in all this bullshit?" He leaned closer, so that his breath fanned across Chichiri's face as he spoke. "Yeah, some people were eatin' everythin' Souta was shittin' out, but most of us… _fuck_ , we were just scared. Most of us didn't give a shit about Genrou _or_ Souta. We were jus' tryna survive."

"So in other words…everyone with a pulse is a threat."

"Yeah, sorry ta say."

Take away his seishi abilities and Chichiri was still a man with ten years of combat experience. It wasn't _his_ life he was worried about.

 _It's just like that day, isn't it?_ Kouran asked. _You weren't concerned about your life when you killed Hikou, either. You lashed out and didn't care who you hurt in the process, even yourself. Now that you're so helpless…I wonder…could you resist the urge to kill again? Like you did with Hikou?_ She paused. _Shouryuu?_

He'd been trying to ignore her, all the way up until that last word. A name. But not just any name—the name of the god he'd killed. The second reason for his need to take up the cloth and repent.

"Stop it," he hissed. "I need to concentrate."

Qiang grunted in surprise "Houshi-sama, I…didn't say anything."

He was clenching his shakujou too tightly, his heart beating erratically. He'd made peace with his past, his sins. This agitation gnawing at his insides, eager for an outlet, wasn't coming from him. He didn't want or need what _it_ wanted: blood. Revenge. It was all lies, forced into his mind by the overwhelming darkness of Fujin's intentions. That was all. That. Was. All.

The old wood floor groaned. Chichiri lunged to the right, and something hard and cool grazed his cheek before it slammed into the wall behind them with a _thunk_. Qiang leapt to his feet and unsheathed the sword, facing the direction from which the dagger had come. Chichiri rose from the floor much slower, mindful of the delicate chime of his staff's rings. He sidestepped away from Qiang, so that anyone trying to pinpoint their location would hear his staff and come after him instead. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and a cut on his cheek began to bleed.

 _Relax. Take deep breaths. You know who you are—what you are. No one can snuff out the light of Suzaku that dwells within you. Remember why you took your vows. Remember who you promised to protect._

He expanded his senses and reached out to Tasuki, but the void of his mind matched the pitch blackness of the room. Nothing. He could see, feel, nothing. There were likely men dying on the floor, right in front of him, and he couldn't help them. Couldn't save them. He was nothing.

 _Forget them_ , a voice said, but it wasn't Kouran. _Leave them to die. That's what they deserve, don't they?_

"H-Hikou?"

The moment the name fell from his lips, he knew he'd made a grave mistake. A chair crashed to the floor and someone rushed him. It was only muscle memory and instinct that translated the sound of those footfalls into weight and height and mass and speed and told him to throw up his staff just in time to block a long, thin blade from tearing through his chest. Chichiri threw his weight into the sword and swung hard to knock it away before he kicked the man in the groin. His opponent let out a muffled groan of pain before collapsing to his knees, and Chichiri lifted his staff high above his head. He could stab wildly with the finial or beat the man with the staff's rings. _Do it,_ his heart told him. _Do it now._

Instead, Chichiri let the staff clatter to the floor and lunged, wrapping his arms around the man's throat. He struggled violently, elbowing Chichiri in the stomach, so he tightened his grip. Whoever this man was, he was strong, and Chichiri grunted with exertion as he fumbled for the right angle to compress the bandit's carotid artery. Another chair scrapped against the floor somewhere to his left, and the muffled sounds of a struggle told him Qiang was otherwise occupied. The man he was choking tried to rise to his feet, but his strength was faltering. He wheezed and cursed under his breath.

 _Artery,_ Chichiri reminded himself. _Artery._ He adjusted his grip again until he felt it, the subtle feel of the blood vessel on the side of the man's neck. He squeezed, and the bandit slowly went languid in his arms. Chichiri let him drop to the ground, grabbed his staff from the floor, and swung hard at the heavy man bobbing and weaving jabs from Qiang's small sword. It connected with a loud crack against the man's skull. He stumbled and Qiang went for the kill before Chichiri could stop him. The sound of blood splattering the ground was a roar in his ears. Another body slammed into Chichiri from behind before he could intervene, and the two of them crashed to the floor.

Chichiri reached inward for his ki, but the flow was stilted. A small ki blast was all he needed—a small jolt to break his attacker's concentration, but the power remained just outside of his grasp. Kouran and Hikou both laughed.

This _is the savage warrior who slayed a dragon?_ Hikou asked.

The man was strangling him, punching him, _biting_ him. His weight was immense, and pure muscle. Even without the arm wrapped around his throat Chichiri still would've been short of breath. He flailed his legs and tried to use what little momentum he had to roll the man off. All the while, he kept reaching for his ki, begging it to obey him. Unbidden and unwanted, he flashed back to the last time he'd felt this powerless and helpless, when he'd lain on the broken earth of a dying field with a massive demon wolf crouched on top of him, a pool of hot, dark liquid creeping up his legs and up to his chest. He should've been prepared, he should've seen it coming. Hadn't he warned Kouji only a few days prior how easy it could be for even the most powerful of men to fall to darkness? Unbridled fear washed over him. Had he overestimated his own endurance level?

He squinted in the darkness as a sharp pain blossomed in his right side. No. _I am Chichiri, servant of Suzaku. I will not waver. Never again._

Warmth flooded his knee, up his thigh, until it filled the deepest parts of his chest. He teleported several feet away, closer to the doorway, and began forming three quick symbols with his fingers. The incantation flowed from his lips even as his ki still stuttered, lashing and writhing in his figurative grip. It was almost as if his own body was _fighting_ him.

"STILL!"

Red light engulfed the room, and the remaining bandits dropped soundlessly to the floor. While he still had the benefit of sight, he rushed to an unbroken lantern lying on its side on a tabletop. With a snap of his fingers he lit the wick, then grabbed the handle and held it aloft. His throat was too ragged to speak, but his gaze swept over several bandits prone on the floor, their eyes heavy and dazed from the spell. All of them were covered in blood, and Chichiri had no idea whose.

"Qiang!" he finally called out. "Where—"

He pivoted on his heel, and what he saw nearly made him drop the lantern.

Naturally Qiang was on the floor, too, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Chichiri knew it was him because of the giant rip in his tunic, but now, there was a fresh gash in the back of his hand, another on his thigh. Eyes widening, Chichiri remembered the splattered blood after Qiang had stabbed his attacker. But now with the benefit of eyesight, he realized that wasn't really what had happened.

What had happened was that Chichiri had mistakenly hit _Qiang_ instead, and he'd gotten stabbed for his trouble. Chichiri stumbled closer. His hand…he was missing two fingers from his hand.

Pain stabbed Chichiri in the heart and he slapped his palm against it. Like a stubborn eel, his ki slithered away and the fog happily returned to take its place.

 _Oh Houjun,_ Kouran said mournfully. _Look what you've done._

He'd been blinded both spiritually and physically and this was the result. But he hadn't landed those blows. He reached out again for Tasuki, and upon receiving no response, no glimpse of his fellow seishi's presence at all, he stumbled forward, removed his water jug, and got to work.

 _I didn't do this._

Even as he thought it, he knew it didn't matter.

Tasuki and Kameyo would have to wait. He prayed that they could afford to.

XXXXXX

 _Kill Him_ , her subconscious whispered to her. _He deserves to die._

Kameyo agreed. He did. One wave of her hand and the cowardly man had crashed to the ground. A bone in his leg snapped, and he cried out in pain. So weak.

She paused. Weak? Fujin wasn't weak. And they weren't a "he," either. She grimaced as another headache slammed into her skull. She blinked rapidly, and then her gaze settled on Gorou again. The dark aura around him was gone.

 _But Takako…_ She hesitated, tears pooling in her eyes. _My son is dead._

Rage seized her again, bolstered by her intense sorrow. He was a boy. He hadn't deserved any of this. If not for Mt. Reikaku, if not for the bandits, her son would still be alive.

She raised her sword above her head, the wind howling in her ears. It demanded to spray the fields with this man's blood. For the first time, she would give it what it wanted.

Just before she could begin her strike, a flash of white consumed her vision.

In her mind she saw a dark-skinned man, tall and lean, with bright green eyes and hair as white as the snow. "I'm Sorry," he said. "It Wasn't Enough."

Kameyo's eyes widened. _What…who?_

"Rekka…SAIRYŪJIN!"

She spun on her heel and swiped out at the soaring white flames with her blade. The world exploded with fire.

Her breath left her in a whoosh as pain lanced up her body. The flames licked up her arms as smoke filled her lungs, but she couldn't feel pain, couldn't feel the heat or smell her own singed flesh.

 ** _As Long As I Still Live, I Will Protect You_ ,** Daichi said. **_Always._**

But how much longer would that be true?

The winds whipped the flames higher, in a spinning cyclone all around her, until her vision went white, then black, and foreign memories assaulted her mind. Emotions soared through her with the same raw intensity of the flames, emotions that she couldn't explain. Emotions that seemed to belong to someone else entirely.

Love. Loss. Betrayal. Hope. Guilt.

Bloodlust.

She felt that same sensation of something breaking that she'd experienced when Fujin had drained her a couple of days ago. All the violent rage that had energized her only moments prior slithered from her body, leaving her feeling exhausted. Numb.

Finally, the flames died away, leaving her—miraculously—unhurt save for surface burns and disorientation. Tasuki stared at her with his tessen still raised, his eyes wide.

"Y-You…" His face was pale. "You were supposed ta dodge it…"

She could see the horror and guilt reflected in his eyes—he hadn't wanted to hurt her, but he hadn't known what else to do.

Could she blame him? Was what he'd just done any different than what she always did? What she'd been about to do? She glanced down at Gorou, who was still staring at her with his mouth agape. It was obvious he wasn't still possessed. But that hadn't stopped her from wanting to rip him to pieces.

"Well, that was entertaining," a man said in a low voice. Kameyo flinched as a thick hand clamped around her throat from behind and lifted her off her feet.

"Kameyo!" Tasuki said. She squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. "Fujin, enough! Keep her outta this!"

"Why?" the possessed bandit said, his words vibrating against her cheek. "You had no idea Daichi would protect her just now. You could have killed her, foolish boy. And I am to believe that you are more righteous, more worthy, than me?"

Kameyo gasped, her hands lifting to claw at the vise grip on her neck. She couldn't concentrate. She'd never be able to break free.

"That's the wonderful thing about humans," Fujin said. "All of you delude yourselves into believing you may lay claim to absolute morality. But at the end of the day, you are all corrupt, repulsive vermin, and it only takes a little push to get you to reveal your true colors."

The hand tightened on her neck. Kameyo let out a strangled cry.

"Where would you be without Hakurou, or houshi-sama, or Daichi coming to your rescue, Suzaku no Tasuki?" he said. "Nowhere. And to think at one point I thought you would make a worthy vessel for me," he spat. "You are a disgrace."

Growls rose from the woods again. Souta let out a curse and stumbled closer to the center of the field. Tasuki's head was bowed, his long hair covering his eyes, and his fists were clenched at his side. Kameyo's eyes widened as she watched his aura pulse around him, bolstered by his growing rage.

"If you wanted it badly enough, you could be unstoppable," Fujin said. "But you allow your attachments to these worthless mortals to suffocate you. A true warrior would not hesitate to kill me." They laughed. "Have you nothing to say toward your defense? You are not even going to try to stop me now?"

Tasuki stayed silent, his gaze directed at the ground. A pair of snakelike demons slithered closer to him.

"Ta…ka…ko," Kameyo whispered, her vision fading. Tears leaked from her eyes. "Ta…ka…T-Ta…"

"You belong to me, now," Fujin whispered against her hair. "Goodbye."

Her eyes slid closed. _Figures…this is the way I'd die._

"Fujin! She's not th' one ya want. Let 'er go an' ya can drain me dry, fer all I care!"

Kameyo's eyes flew open. _What the—?_

Tasuki's piercing amber gaze bore into hers. He looked like he wanted to tell her something, but her brain was too foggy to figure out what.

Kameyo could feel the possessed bandit grinning against her neck. "A valiant effort, but I do not compromise with ningen. I will return to you shortly."

Tasuki narrowed his eyes, and as if in retaliation, the bandit tightened his fingers. Kameyo flinched. Fujin could crush her windpipe if they wanted to, but for now she could still breathe, albeit poorly. They were going to drag this out for as long as possible.

 _ **Kameyo.**_

Kameyo stiffened as the deep, accented voice echoed in her mind. _W-What? Genrou?_

 _ **It's me. I'm about ta do somethin' crazy an' reckless again. I need ya ta trust me.**_

If she wasn't threatening to black out she probably would've laughed. _H-How…how are you…?_

 _ **Heh. We're both connected to Daichi, ain't we? Figured I could use his connection ta talk ta ya. It was jus' a guess.**_

Fujin pressed the palm of their free hand against Kameyo's back, and a dull, burning sensation seeped into her muscles. _That's…nice._

 _ **I don't deserve yer trust right now. I know. But don't give up on me. Not yet. Hang in there.**_

Her heart ached. _Genrou…_

 _ **I can't use my tessen long as they've got their claws on ya. So I need ya ta do yer see-through thing again. But first I need ya to push Fujin outta Tetsuo's body.**_

 _How?_

 _ **Takako somehow used yer gemstone to force Fujin out wit his blade before. It's our only shot.**_

What the hell was he talking about?

Kameyo forced her gaze back up until she met Tasuki's eyes from across the field. He had his tessen slung against his shoulder, his eyes narrowed in concentration as the bright, holy light of Suzaku shimmered around his body. Even though it was getting harder to see through the sheen of her tears, Kameyo could swear she could see someone, or something, standing behind him.

Light and airy like gossamer silk was the ghost of a man, standing over a foot taller than even Tasuki, with flowing white hair and piercing green eyes.

 _Dai—?_

She couldn't complete the thought. Fujin shoved their hand in her chest and she screamed out loud.

"Kameyo!"

Liquid fire slithered through her veins, forcing the breath from her lungs. She heard someone laughing in her head, and she tried to push them back, but the voice was everywhere at once, and then she could feel and see things that made no sense, underneath all the pain. But mostly it was just _pain_.

 _ **You are mine,**_ Fujin whispered. _**Forever.**_

 _ **This is only what you deserve for betraying me, sister.**_

In her mind's eye, Kameyo saw a tall, lithe figure with spiky golden hair and a smooth, pale face that was equal parts feminine and masculine. Their face was contorted in rage, and their mouth moved soundlessly, as if they were speaking but the sound had been sucked out of the world. The image wavered, but Kameyo clung to it even as the life drained from her body—it felt important.

 _ **What are you doing?** _Fujin howled. **_Meihou—!_**

xxxxxx

 _The image shifted to a tall, statuesque woman with curly lavender hair and bright violet eyes. "Fujin…I won't let you kill the Emperor." Her voice was soft and delicate, yet it traveled easily on the wind. "I love you, but if you choose to continue down this path, I will stop you."_

 _Fujin's eyes widened, a fragment of their sorrow seeping through in their expression before they forced it away. "I thought you, of all people, would understand. The Emperor has sentenced us to death."_

 _"Whatever he is planning, I trust his judgment, Fujin. So should you."_

 _Fujin bared their teeth. "You would have him lead you off a cliff?"_

 _"The beast gods are not our enemies, Fujin."_

 _"The age of gods is_ over _, Meihou! If he is not stopped, we_ all _will perish. Including your beloved Daichi."_

 _Meihou frowned, her eyes soft with sorrow, but her posture stiff with steel. "Then this is how it will end…for both of us."_

 _Fujin screamed and threw out their hands, a massive whirlwind building around them. Meihou swiped diagonally across her body, sending arcs of wind flying toward her counterpart. The powerful forces clashed with a sound like a sonic boom, suffusing the forest with malevolent light the color of dried blood._

 _Fujin screamed again, throwing their hand out—the whirlwind burst outward and sent shards of energy shooting toward Meihou. The goddess let out an agonized scream and fell to her knees as a flock of birds sprang up from the nearby treetops, their high-pitched squawks filled with fear._

 _Meihou braced her arms on the muddy ground, blood slowly dyeing her blue silk hanfu red. She glanced up at Fujin, who stood defiantly, their hand raised to their side in preparation for the finishing blow. But in their eyes…hesitation._

 _"Fujin…" she whispered. "The truth is…I believe you."_

 _Fujin's red eyes widened. They took a hasty step backward._

 _"B-But…I refuse…to sacrifice innocent lives…to protect my own. No matter what…the outcome."_

 _Fujin began to tremble, their hands clenching into fists. "You fool…!"_

 _"Kill me, if you must…but I will not join you. Mutual destruction…is not justice."_

 _The sun was setting—a blazing red-orange ball that seemed to herald her coming end. But she lifted her face to its warmth and smiled._

 _"Enough!" Fujin shouted. They flung out their hand, but Meihou raised hers a split second quicker—violet light shot from her palm like a speeding arrow…and impaled Fujin right through the chest._

 _Fujin staggered backward. Their body became bathed in dark red light…and began to dissolve._

 _"W-What have you done?!" they roared. "What have you—"_

 _Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I will not kill you, Fujin…but I will make sure…you may never again take another life."_

 _As their body vanished, their voice echoed from everywhere at once. "MEIHOU!"_

xxxxxx

Kameyo felt a burst of energy zip through her veins, fighting back the encroaching darkness. The gemstone around her neck burned her skin as she absorbed its energy.

Acting on pure instinct alone, she reached back and pressed her hand to the bandit's chest. The energy building inside traveled up her arm, through her hand, and exploded out her palm.

The man released her throat and yanked his other hand from her chest; Kameyo fell to her knees, gasping. She glanced over her shoulder, and dark red smoke was rising from the bandit's back.

"Genrou!" she choked out. " _Now_!"

But he was already moving—in a blur of motion that her eyes struggled to track, he yanked the bandit out of harm's way and raised his tessen over his head.

"REKKA…SAIRYŪJIN!"

Pure white flames rushed past her and engulfed the red smoke as it was still struggling to coalesce into a single form. Kameyo shut her eyes against the heat and light, but she could plainly hear Fujin's agonized scream.

A strong arm wrapped around her waist and hoisted her to her feet. Tasuki's gaze met hers, and with a slight jerk of her chin, she pressed her hands to his chest and took a deep breath. The cold veil swept over them both until they were out of harm's way.

"SHINPŪ!"

She reached deep within for what remained of her power and summoned a gust of wind to feed Tasuki's flames, which roared even higher and hotter still. The screaming reached a high pitch reminiscent of the sound of hundreds of thousands of shattering glasses.

Kameyo hissed as a powerful headache slammed into her skull. _Fuck._ She was beginning to lose consciousness, but she focused harder on maintaining the flow of power.

A loud _CRACK!_ rent the air, and then a powerful shockwave threw them backward in two opposite directions. She skidded across the ground, rolling across jagged rocks and branches until coming to a rest on her back at least fifty feet away. Her whole body burned. She blinked her eyes open, and Fujin's cloud was gone.

"Kameyo!" Tasuki shouted. Footsteps sounded, and then he was hovering over her, his amber eyes wide and his face covered with thin scratches and soot. She groaned. "Hey, take it easy…gimme yer hand."

Gently, he pulled her up to a sitting position and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are ya all right?"

Her stomach rolled. "I…don't know. I feel…I don't feel too good."

"Shit, neither do I. But gods, Kameyo, ya did it! I don't know how, but ya did it!"

Tasuki grinned at her, but when she could only manage to twitch her lips slightly in response, his expression faltered. "I'm sorry, Kameyo."

Her head started to dip forward without her permission, and she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "For…what?"

He sighed, his hand making soothing circles along the center of her back. "I thought that if I directed my flames at ya, you'd jus' dodge 'em like last time. An' the fire would keep Fujin's dirty paws offa ya. If I had known—"

"No. Don't…it's all right. I'm still alive, thanks to you." She smiled faintly. "But maybe…give a warning next time."

Tasuki snorted. "Yeah, a warning woulda been nice, all around."

She chuckled. "Guess we still have to work on our coordination skills."

"Maybe not. I think Fujin's gone fer good this time."

 _"What?"_ Kameyo jerked her head up, then groaned with pain.

"Easy. Don't want ya ta keel over jus' when th' fun is gettin' started. Here…" He slipped his hands into hers. "Jus' close yer eyes for a second."

She wrinkled her nose. "What?"

"Damnit, jus' do it." His face turned pink.

She laughed. "If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask."

"Keep messin' around, an' I'll keep all my extra ki ta myself!"

She didn't know why something as simple as a ki transfer was a reason to get so worked up, but she'd have to be a damn fool to turn him down—her chest still burned from fighting off Fujin. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Okay. So how does—"

"—Ya sit there an' shut up, that's how it works."

"Geez. From your attitude you'd think _I_ was the one that set _you_ on fire."

Tasuki grunted. "Jus' keep yer mind clear an' focus on my voice."

Before she could reply, she felt a warm burst of energy shoot up her arms. She let out a tiny squeak and flinched away.

"What did I say 'bout shuttin' up? I have ta concentrate!"

Kameyo furrowed her eyebrows, but she willed her mind to clear and her muscles to relax. With a deep sigh, she welcomed Tasuki's ki inside her. While Fujin's presence had been an invasion, with all the subtlety of a meat cleaver, Tasuki's energy trickled in slowly, brushing against her own.

It tickled.

Within moments he was pulling away from her and she was already breathing easier. When she opened her eyes, her gaze instantly met his.

"Thank you," she murmured. "But you didn't have to do that."

Tasuki rubbed his neck and glanced away. "Least I could do, after I set ya on fire."

"No, I mean…you literally didn't have to." She patted Takako's necklace. "There's plenty of energy stored in here still. I could've just absorbed some of that."

"Th…Then why didn't ya _say_ that?" he snapped.

"And miss the opportunity to see you blush like that? Fat chance."

"Yer lucky I'm exhausted," he grumbled. As if for confirmation, he let out a yawn as he glanced across the field. "Or I'd toss yer lil' ass right off the side of the mountain."

Kameyo's smile fell. "I'm sorry too."

Tasuki grunted. "Fer what?"

She thought back to that moment when she'd been standing over Gorou, ready to rip him into shreds without a sliver of remorse. She wished she could say it was all because of inhaling Fujin's poisonous air, but…hadn't she always thought that, deep down? That none of these men's lives mattered more than that of hers and her son's?

"For thinking of your men as disposable in the first place," she murmured, a dull ache growing in her stomach. "For…I've given you such a hard time about Reikaku bandits being untrustworthy. About women not being safe here. I didn't know I was hitting a raw nerve. If I had known what you've been through—"

Tasuki stiffened against her, but he tried to cover it up with a careless wave of his hand. "Don't mention it. Really. I get it."

"Genrou—"

"I don't wanna talk about it right now," he snapped. "That was a long time ago. It don't matter."

She studied his profile. Even _he_ didn't believe that—that much was clear. But gods knew she didn't want anyone sniffing around in her past, either, so she let it go.

"Ka-Kashira?"

Souta stood in front of them, his eyes wide. "W-What th'…" He pushed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets and shook his head. "What have I done?" he whispered. "What…what did I do?"

Tasuki pulled free from her and sprang to his feet. "Souta, it's okay. It wasn't yer fault. It's not—" His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he crashed back to the ground.

 _"Genrou!"_ Kameyo crawled over to him and struggled to roll him onto his stomach. The back of his shirt was covered in blood. "Oh my gods…shit. _Shit!_ " She pulled out her knife and ripped the shirt away until she was staring at an angry, purple wound between his shoulder blades. The same bruised plum color was snaking up the veins in his back, which were starkly visible against his otherwise pale skin. " _Shit!_ He's been _poisoned_?"

"A-Arrow…" he grunted. "Antidote…stronghold…"

"How the hell am I supposed to drag your ass all the way in there?" She looked up at Souta, who was now curled up against a tree, his head in his hands. " _Souta!_ Souta, _please_. I need your help!"

He jerked his head up, as if seeing her for the first time. She hadn't thought it was possible, but his face got paler. "It's y-you…"

"Souta, look, it's okay. I forgive you, but I can't carry him. I need your help—"

"Oh my gods…Kouji…Anzu…" His voice reached a hysterical pitch. "I left 'em out there ta die. I…I murdered—"

"Souta! Stop it. You're not helping! I'm sorry about what you've been through, but—"

"Ta-Takako." Kameyo froze. "I tied 'em up and threw 'em out ta slaughter. They ran b-but…demons were everywhere. There's no way they coulda…"

 _They got away._ She tried to focus on that part and not the part about them being tied up and defenseless in a forest full of demons.

"Souta," Kameyo murmured. "They're fine. Everyone's alive. But Genrou is going to die if we don't—"

"Didn't you jus' hear me?" he shouted. "They're DEAD! And I killed them!" He covered his mouth and started to rock. "K-Ken…fuck. _Fuck!_ I'm so sorry, Ken. Ya didn't deserve ta die like that." He started to cry. "A-All the…all the blood. Ya didn't deserve…"

Kameyo slowly got to her feet. She could hear blood roaring in her ears. _Takako…no. No. Fujin had been bluffing. He wasn't—_

"Souta…" She lifted her hands and took a single step forward. "Souta—"

It was then she noticed the knife. Souta lifted the blade in his trembling hand. He stared at it with wide eyes, as if he could find salvation in the polished steel.

Tasuki let out a pained hiss on the ground beside her. "S-Stop…him…"

"Souta…please," she murmured. "Drop the knife. It doesn't have to end like this."

The sound of a snapping twig drew her gaze. Another demon wolf stared back at her. Just as Tasuki had predicted, many of the demons had run off. But it was probably obvious to even them she didn't exactly have the upper hand right now.

A man yelled behind her. Kameyo pivoted on her heel and lashed out with her hand, sending a blast of air to cleave the demons attacking Gorou in half. Pain slammed into her skull and she let out a scream of her own. She slapped a palm against her forehead as her vision swam and she staggered.

This shouldn't still be happening. Taiitsukun had unsealed her power. She shouldn't still be feeling like something was tearing her apart.

She flicked her hand again, and a smaller wind current knocked the knife from Souta's hand and flung it into a nearby bush.

"You want salvation?" she said through clenched teeth. "Then earn it. You have the opportunity to save someone's life right now. I…suggest…you take it."

A long moment passed as they stared at each other, and then, so subtly she almost missed it, Souta nodded. He climbed to his feet.

 _Mutual destruction…is not justice._

Her mind started drifting again, to a time she'd never lived, places she'd never been, and fatigue filled every cell and pore. She slid down to her knees, bracing her hand against the tree trunk. _What…is happening…to me?_

"Mei…hou," she whispered. "W-Why…?"

Before she lost consciousness, she swore she'd heard Tasuki whisper: "Fujin."


	14. Lost Child

**Chapter Fourteen: Lost Child**

On a quiet hilltop on the outskirts of a human village, she turned toward the rising sun…and smiled.

Spring was reaching its end, which meant sweltering temperatures and humidity for Konan. But it also meant the humans were in a frenzy, working long days in the fields only to spend the evenings dancing and reveling in the streets. Some of Konan's most cherished celebrations occurred during the summer, including the Stargazing Festival.

It was the time of year Meihou enjoyed best. But that was only one of the reasons.

Nearby trees rustled in a vigorous breeze that kissed her skin, and then familiar warmth spread through her chest. Footsteps crunched on the grass behind her. "I figured I would find you here," they said mildly.

Meihou tilted her head in their direction. "What gave me away?"

They chuckled. "About five hundred eons worth of experience."

She finally turned around to face them fully. Fujin had their arms folded, gentle affection giving their already luminous skin a soft glow. Her sibling was nothing if not beautiful. Their orange silk hanfu complemented the startling crimson of their irises perfectly.

"You've settled into our banishment a little too well for my liking," Fujin said, frowning. "It's almost as if you enjoy trifling with the mortals in this realm."

A common criticism of theirs. Her lip quirked up as she returned her gaze to the village below. "Perhaps they're a bit…peculiar," Meihou admitted. "But they have their moments."

Fujin scoffed. "Those ningen in the valley rioted for _three days_ because of the outcome of a Weiqi match."

Meihou smiled outright now. "Which is why I specified 'moments.' As in, not the entirety."

Fujin walked over to stand beside her. For a long moment, the two gods watched the world before them in comfortable silence, and then Fujin said, "I bring more than just my pleasant demeanor, sister. I have news that may be of interest to you." They glanced over at her, catching her gaze with a meaningful stare. "I believe that the first stage of the cycle will soon come to pass in Hokkan."

Meihou pursed her lips. "The Genbu no miko?"

It had been less than an eon ago when the Emperor of the Heavens created humanity using a speck of the celestial energy that flowed through all of the Sacred Realm's gods. Then, he'd siphoned even more to create the four beast gods: Suzaku, Seiryuu, Genbu, and Byakko. Until now, she had heard nothing of what was to come next. A thrill of curiosity filled her.

Fujin nodded. "Yes. War is building among the ningen there. Soon, surely, the miko will save the country from destruction."

That seemed perfectly reasonable to her, but Fujin's voice was pensive. "Then this is good news, is it not?" she asked.

They shrugged. "For them, perhaps." Fujin turned their gaze toward the ground. The wistfulness in their eyes was subtle, but it was impossible for Meihou to miss it.

"There is something you are not saying."

"It has been only a short time since the beast gods were created, even if you count the time in human years," they said. "The fact that a miko will already awaken Genbu's full power…"

"You sound uneasy. What is wrong?"

"When the Genbu no miko is summoned, Genbu's power will be amplified for generations," Fujin said, shaking their head. "That power has to come from somewhere, Meihou. What will become of the minor gods within his domain?"

Meihou chuckled. "You act as if you will disappear. I assure you, you will not."

"No," they said with a sigh. "I will simply be made a eunuch." Fujin folded their arms, and wind whipped through the field again, bolstered by the god's sour mood. "I see no reason why we should have to pay the price for Tenkou's insolence."

"We are not paying any price. This is merely cause and effect. Everything must change, Fujin. Even us."

Fujin lifted their head and met her gaze. For countless generations—since the beginning of time—they had worked together to maintain balance between the frigid North and the humid South, even if that meant they could only meet for short rendezvous a few times a year. Meihou knew their face, their needs, their desires as well as she knew her own, and it took no effort to see the disappointment that flashed in Fujin's eyes at her words. She frowned. What else would they have her say? What was the correct response?

"Before Tenkou was sealed," Fujin murmured, their eyebrows pinching together, "he said something to me."

"…What? You spoke with him? What did he say?"

"He said, in essence: If power can be such a temptation to even him…what would make The Emperor exempt?"

Meihou cocked her head. "Surely you realize that is nonsense, Fujin. I hardly think there is a way for him to be any more powerful than he is already. He is The Emperor."

Fujin said nothing, their eyes darkening in contemplation. Another vigorous gust ruffled the long sleeves of their hanfu. The sun's warmth had begun to heat the air; she turned her gaze to the distant peaks of the western mountains. Unfortunately, even though there still seemed to be so much Fujin had left unsaid, it was time for her to go.

"I must leave you now," Meihou said. "But I expect to meet up with you again soon, and receive updates should the Genbu no miko arrive."

Fujin's face lit up with a rare grin. "Ah, yes. What good is a mountain range without those pleasant valley breezes, hmm?"

Meihou returned their smile. "I will tell Daichi you send your regards."

"I hardly think he would notice or care. He only has eyes for _you_ , sister." They reached forward and twirled their finger in a lock of her hair. "But I suppose as long as you are content, it has no ill consequences for me."

She chuckled. "You are much too kind." She lifted her hand to the translucent gemstone hanging at her throat and squeezed it. Her hanfu whipped against her skin as the winds strengthened, but Fujin clasped a firm hand on her shoulder before she could disappear.

"Meihou. Can you not feel it?" they whispered on the breeze. "This is the beginning."

"I assume you are not only referring to the priestesses."

Fujin nodded. "I sense the balance of the world is shifting, as well. For _all_ of us. I am only asking you to remain diligent, sister."

"Of course, Fujin. The same applies to you. Please keep me apprised of the situation once you return to the North."

"You will be the first to know of it." They stepped back, a shimmering red haze surrounding them as they prepared to shift, too. "Farewell, Meihou."

"Farewell, Fujin."

A cool veil shimmered over her skin and she vanished, taken on the wind's current.

XXXXXX

She was not a particularly exceptional girl, Fujin thought.

They watched as she stumbled through the field, a naginata slung over her shoulder. Long black hair, pale skin…besides her obvious proficiency with that weapon, nothing exceptional about her, indeed.

But her gray eyes were filled with intelligence that contrasted sharply with her round cheeks and tiny frame. She was barely a woman, and a deadly sickness slumbered within her. She had only months left, if even that. Fujin frowned as they warily watched her from their vantage point hovering in the sky above. _This_ was who The Emperor had chosen as the realm's first priestess?

"Uruki!" she yelled, narrowing her eyes. "Stop walking so fast!"

Fujin's gaze strayed to the tall, obstinate boy striding about ten paces in front of her, his arms folded. "I said I'd stick around, but I didn't say I'd be happy about it," he grumbled. "You want a walking buddy, find someone else."

 _What a pathetic excuse for an heir, let alone a seishi,_ Fujin thought. Not for the first time, they wondered what benefit Taiitsukun could possibly see from all of this. These fools seemed much more likely to set the world ablaze than to save it.

What's more, if Fujin focused carefully enough, they could see tendrils of pale green energy flowing around the boy, marking his essence as that of Genbu. But beneath that was the unmistakable tide of the wind, curling around him, waiting to be summoned at a moment's notice. Fujin had seen him call forth the wind once already, which resulted in his body transforming into a more feminine form. The seishi was skilled in the use of his power, but the wind would have never bowed to someone like him in normal circumstances, royal blood or not. This boy, this young ningen called Rimudo, owed his mastery of Fujin's element to Genbu alone.

Fujin narrowed their eyes. No doubt that power had been siphoned directly from them. "Wind Demon," indeed.

"Truly unprecedented, isn't it?" a whisper-soft voice said behind them. "Entrusting the entire fate of the world to mortals such as these."

Fujin didn't turn around, but their eyes narrowed further. "Suraiya."

Suraiya laughed. "You say my name with such contempt."

"You deserve nothing less for doing Tenkou's bidding."

"That was over an eon ago, my dear. Surely you've moved on. I know I have."

Fujin turned to face hir. Shi stood with hir arms crossed, elegant and beautiful as always. Midnight black hair flowed down hir back and trailed across the frozen ground—despite this, not a single strand was ever out of place or soiled. Ruby red lips curved into a sardonic smile.

"I merely came to check on you, love," shi said. "I cannot imagine how it must feel, to be so helpless, watching these ningen fight the battle that should've been yours all along."

"This is _their_ mess—it is their responsibility to undo it."

"But this is _your_ land. You were here first, were you not? And yet The Emperor has forsaken you, made you nothing more than a token god while each day the humans pray more and more to Genbu." Shi cocked hir head. "When was the last time a ningen visited your shrine?" shi asked. "Left you tributes? Prayed to you for safe passage across the oceans and plains?"

Fujin narrowed their eyes. "Better that than not being remembered at all."

Suraiya scoffed. "That is what separates you and I, my dear. You give these fools power over you. Taiitsukun did me a favor when he erased me. I am enslaved to no one or no thing."

"Then please, enlighten me as to why you are here."

Shi flipped a tendril of long hair out of hir eye. "Genbu will be summoned soon. I have already discovered all seven of the remaining seishi. It is only a matter of time before miko-sama unites with them as well."

Fujin's gaze strayed to the boy again. "You mean _six_ remaining seishi."

Suraiya smiled wider. "No." But shi did not elaborate.

"I have no time for your foolish games, Suraiya. You may share your thoughts or not, but I do not beg. If you are quite finished, take your leave."

Shi hummed her mild dissent. "You spoke with Tenkou before he was banished, didn't you?" Shi cocked hir head. "What did he say?"

A chill settled in the air. "Nothing of consequence."

"Tsk, tsk—you are lying, love. You hide your inner thoughts exceptionally well, but I know the truth. Even if you will not admit it out loud."

"Enough of this nonsense." Fujin turned their back on her, returning their full attention to the humans trudging across the frozen, barren landscape below. "Goodbye, Suraiya."

Hir gentle chuckle tickled their ears. "When Genbu is summoned but before miko-sama is granted her wishes, the beast god will be at his weakest," shi said. "It is extremely taxing on both human and god to be fused together in such a manner…and the seal on Tenkou will weaken correspondingly."

Fujin stiffened before their mind could resist the urge. With their jaw clenched, they glanced back at Suraiya over their shoulder.

"The combined power of The Emperor, Suzaku, Seiryuu, and Byakko is more than enough to keep him contained, mind you." Hir lip curled. "But perhaps, if only for a moment…" Shi met Fujin's gaze. "You will be able to speak with him again, through the seal."

 _Tenkou's bright golden eyes narrowed, his lip curled in frustration. "Why can't you see me, Fujin? Why won't you accept the truth?"_

"I have no desire to," Fujin said, mentally brushing the phantoms of their past from their mind.

Suraiya glanced down at the seishi and priestess plodding along below. "As is your right. But I figured that if anyone deserved to know…it would be you, my dear."

Fujin scoffed. "What concern is it of yours?"

Shi glanced up at the pale blue sky. Snowflakes had begun to fall, and hir eyes softened. "It has been so cold here in Hokkan, since the humans arrived."

Fujin didn't answer.

"It's almost as if the world is mourning us. The winds…yes…they sense your sorrow, Fujin. Even if it is no longer in their power to soothe."

They hadn't been expecting the burst of pain that hit them just then, and Fujin's body tensed in response.

" _Goodbye_ , Suraiya," they snapped.

Shi smiled again, but the cruelty had vanished, replaced by a subtle, beautiful sadness. It reminded them of a time long past, when shi had simply been a lighthearted goddess of the northern lakes. Who would be the next to fall?

"Goodbye, Fujin," shi whispered. "…For now."

The finality in hir tone told them everything they needed to know: This would be the last time they would see hir. Her shrines would fall into decay not long after.

xxxxxx

Sunlight had been rare in Hokkan for some time, but on the day that Okuda Takiko summoned Genbu from the heavens, a violent ice storm slammed the capital. The wind howled its pain and fury as Kutou troops advanced on the unprepared warriors of Genbu. Fujin watched from above as they had been throughout the journey, a subtle pain throbbing in their heart.

"I know, my friends," they whispered, turning their face to the sky. "I feel it, too."

"The four palaces of the heavens," Takiko called out, "the four corners of the earth…in the name of sacred law, faith, and virtue…" She faltered, pressing her hand to her chest. Uruki wrapped his arm tighter around her, and she gasped out, "I…s-summon thee, Genbu, guardian of the north!"

A shimmering green light engulfed the warriors and their priestess, just as screams rose over the gale.

"They're here!" a Hokkan soldier shouted. "It's Kutou! Prepare for battle!"

"Shit!" Tomite yelled. "We have to help them! Takiko, whatever you do, don't stop!"

"B-But Tomite," Takiko said, "your powers—"

"Don't worry about us—you just make sure Genbu gets here in time to kick some ass!" He glanced over his shoulder at Hikitsu, shouldering his quiver. "Come on!"

 _They will die here,_ Fujin thought, but they could stay to watch no longer. Closing their eyes, Fujin gathered their power and faded into the air's current. "Tomite, no!" was the last thing they heard before they disappeared.

A massive rock, rubbed smooth from centuries of gale-force winds, was all that announced the presence of Tenkou's final resting place. The boulder blocked the entrance to a small cavern in Sairou that sloped deep into the earth, with the symbols of the four beast gods carved into it, creating a seal that even the strongest beings could not escape.

Static sizzled in the air as Fujin approached the seal, but they remained unharmed as they lifted their hand and pressed their palm against the cool surface.

"Tenkou." They hadn't spoken that name in so long, out of pure necessity. The sour taste of betrayal was too much to bear.

"Did I really…" they paused. "…mean nothing to you?"

The rock trembled slightly beneath their palm, and the static charge in the air intensified, sending a current through Fujin's body. It was hot, but not unpleasantly so, and they narrowed their eyes as a familiar presence surrounded them in a thin haze.

"Fujin…" Tenkou's disembodied voice whispered. "What a…pleasant surprise."

Fujin narrowed their eyes. "'Pleasant' is not quite how I would describe this."

"Then by all means, tell me…why are you here?"

"Because I deserve answers after all these ages," Fujin said, keeping their voice nonchalant. "And it seems that you are the only one who can supply them."

Tenkou chuckled. "The Emperor will not be pleased by your insolence. Are you sure you really want to know?"

A jolt went through them—something was pulling on their energy. The Genbu no miko must have made her first wish.

"Yes, I am."

"Then I will be quick, as we do not have much time."

The sun was high in the sky above them, scorching the vast desert plains. The air was still. Out of habit, Fujin caused a small gust to flow across the ground, relieving some of the dryness. Shōkaku, god of the western winds, had been one of Tenkou's first casualties; the climate here had never recovered. How fitting, then, that a desert wasteland had become the traitor's final tomb.

"The age of gods is ending, Fujin," Tenkou said. "But my 'rebellion,' as The Emperor so erroneously characterized it, was merely a symptom, not the cause."

"And how could you possibly come to such a conclusion?"

"Because the four beast gods will soon become so powerful that the rest of us will be redundant. It is already happening…even here, in this forsaken place, I sense it. Genbu has been summoned. Surely you feel it as well, hailing from that region?"

Fujin hesitated. "Yes."

"Once the Genbu no miko departs from this world, you will be even weaker than you are now. The same thing will happen here, and in Konan and Kutou. Eventually, we all will fade away. Erased from history."

"The Emperor promised—"

"—The Emperor _lied_ , and you are an utter fool if you truly believe it will not happen again. He has what he wants—the rest of you are disposable."

Fujin snarled. "How _dare_ you say such a ridiculous thing, when _you_ are the one who slaughtered so many of our kind!"

Tenkou scoffed. "If The Emperor does not care about our well-being, why should I?"

Fujin glared at the seal, the wind whipping around their robes. "You are delusional, and your punishment well deserved. Coming here was a mistake."

Perhaps they truly were the fool Tenkou believed them to be, for thinking a god of death would be capable of something as paltry as kindness, let alone love. But it hadn't always been this way, Fujin reminded themselves. Maybe if they told themselves that often enough, the outcome wouldn't be as painful to consider.

Tenkou chuckled. "Do you know what you would do, to what lengths you would travel, to prevent yourself from becoming powerless, Fujin? To prevent yourself from ceasing to exist?"

The wind god stepped back from the boulder. They sensed it was a rhetorical question, so they waited for Tenkou to finish his point.

"You will soon." His voice began to fade, the electricity receding from the air. "And when you do…I'll be waiting."

XXXXXX

Tasuki's eyes fluttered open. Dull pain burned through his body—stiff shoulders, aching back, a festering arrow wound. Slowly, the world around him came into focus—he was in the infirmary back at the stronghold. Scattered around him were thin pallets covered in bodies, bandits sleeping fitfully. He let out a strangled breath of relief. He, and at least some of his men, were alive…somehow.

With a groan, he eased to an upright position, reaching behind him to gingerly brush the bandages looped around his chest. The wound burned, but only slightly—the skin felt tight, and Tasuki immediately knew someone had smeared thick salve across it that had since dried. The familiar whisper of energy that tingled across his back told him that someone had been Chichiri.

He closed his eyes. _Chichiri. Where are you?_

 _ **I'm here. I'll be there soon.**_

Tasuki sighed and curled onto his side, allowing his tired muscles to relax again. He shouldn't let his friend do all the work…this was his home, after all, he was in charge…but he still felt so tired. Surely it wouldn't hurt, to lie down for a little while longer…

The faces from his dreams flashed in his mind—most prominently, the violet-eyed, lavender-haired goddess with the gentle smile.

 _Meihou?_

A pain so intense filled his chest then that he hissed. Anger, sadness, and longing swept through him like a hurricane, and he had not the faintest fucking idea why. Was it possible that…he hadn't just been dreaming?

"Kameyo?" His voice, just a whisper, felt too loud to his own ears. He paused. "Souta?"

It was too dark to distinguish one body from another on the floor around him. He flashed back to the battle in front of the stronghold, when he'd swung his fan and almost gotten Kameyo killed. When he wrapped his hand around Souta's throat and felt not a sliver of remorse as he slowly crushed the bandit's windpipe. His heart pounded in his chest. It felt like the walls were closing in on him, and he was beginning to feel utterly, helplessly, alone.

"Godsdamn it," he hissed, reaching a shaking hand up to cover his sweat-covered forehead. He took a deep breath, then another, but his heart kicked further into overdrive. " _Godsdamn_ it, not now—"

"T-Tenkou."

A soft whine broke him free of his inner turmoil, if only for a moment. He craned his head and narrowed his eyes at a curled-up figure on a pallet across from him. Even from beneath the thick blanket that covered her, Kameyo's gemstone shone through, suffusing her body in a pale, violet light. That name. Why would she be whispering his—

Tasuki sat up again. "Kameyo?"

She groaned. "Did I really…mean nothing to you?"

His eyes widened as more visions from his dreams snapped back into focus. Tenkou and Fujin… _knew_ each other? The beast gods had been created to take their place?

Why hadn't Taiitsukun ever mentioned that?

Kameyo had seen all of that too, then. So he hadn't just been dreaming.

 _Fuckin' great._ Tasuki sighed again and threw the blanket off. There was no fucking way he'd be able to get any more sleep now. Might as well go out and at least give the appearance of being useful or in control.

His mind kept churning as he threw his shirt back on. What's more, he thought, it seemed like Daichi and Meihou had been lovers. He wasn't really sure how that worked, as far as gods were concerned…but if he was connected to the mountain through Daichi and Kameyo was serving as the vessel for Meihou's remaining power—

Shit. Could that explain why he felt so…so…damn _weird_ around her? Why he wanted to touch her and run from her all at the same time?

That moment on Mt. Taikyoku, when he'd wanted to…when he'd wanted _her_ to…had that just been a phantom emotion projected onto him by Daichi?

It made sense…well, as much as any of this shit made sense.

 _I gotta be more careful,_ he thought. _Suzaku knows I don't need my life ta be any more complicated than it already is._

The fact that it wasn't his fault filled him with a certain measure of relief, but then again, he was really fucking sick and tired of being manipulated by gods, demonic or otherwise. For once, just once, he wished he could live his life without worrying which thoughts belonged to him and which had been implanted by freaks for nefarious purposes.

"Fuck, I jus' wanted a damn drink," he moaned, massaging his temples. "I don't think I ask fer very much."

"Yukio," Kameyo whispered.

Tasuki glanced in her direction.

Kameyo was curled on her side facing him now. She shook her head. "Please…" she moaned. "Don't go."

Fuck. As if the here and now wasn't nightmare enough. Now she was dreaming of her dead lover. Begrudgingly, he had to admit that despite all the guilt and pain he'd felt over the years because of what he did—almost did, he corrected—to Miaka, at least he could be comforted by the fact that she was still alive, and happy.

"I'm sorry. I'm…a coward."

With a groan, Tasuki rolled onto his hands and knees and reached for her…but for some reason he hesitated. He should wake her up, right? Surely it would be cruel to just let her wallow in her own despair any longer.

But still, he was curious…what exactly did she feel so guilty about?

"Tasuki?"

The bandit jumped back, his head whipping toward the door. "I-I wasn't doin' nothin'!" he shouted. Chichiri stood in the door frame, his head cocked. The soft rays of the morning sun cast him in a pale glow, which unfortunately brought Tasuki's attention to his slim waist, for some gods forsaken reason.

 _What th' hell did I tell ya 'bout makin' shit complicated, brain?!_

Chichiri smiled softly, seemingly oblivious to the bandit's discomfort, but it didn't take a genius to notice the dark bags underneath his eyes. Tasuki's heart ached with guilt and sympathy. He probably hadn't slept a wink in days. "Glad to see you're awake, no da. You had me worried."

"Me?" he said mildly. "Yer th' one who disappeared fer th' whole battle. Where th' hell were you, anyway?" Tasuki rubbed his forehead and groaned. "Gotta say, it's gettin' pretty old, wakin' up after gettin' my ass kicked like this."

Chichiri padded into the room and carefully shut the door behind him. "Agreed, but I suppose, despite everything that's happened, we're lucky." He lowered himself to a seated position on the edge of Tasuki's pallet and placed his shakujou across his knees. "To answer your question. Some of the bandits…weren't particularly enthusiastic about my help, no da. But still…somehow we were able to stop Fujin."

"Did we?" Tasuki asked. "I mean, when I set that fucker on fire last night, I heard 'em screamin' and I think I saw the cloud explode or somethin'…but history's kinda taught me ta never be optimistic, so…"

Chichiri grunted. "But I don't sense them at all, no da. And their mark has left all the bandits. Which is a very good sign, no da."

He wrinkled his nose. "Their…what?"

"When a demon—or in this case, a god, I suppose—possesses someone, it leaves a mark on the soul, even when the possession has technically ended," Chichiri explained. "It's to help the demon continue to influence the person…and make it easier to find and possess them again. That accounts for the symptoms: mood swings, doubt, fear, violent impu—"

"I think ya can spare me th' full explanation, I get it," Tasuki deadpanned.

Chichiri winced. "Sorry, no da. All that to say…none of the bandits are marked anymore. Which means Fujin must be dead, and any negative effects they've caused should begin to fade."

Tasuki raised his eyebrows, trailing his gaze down Chichiri's body pointedly. "So…?"

The monk smiled faintly, a blush tinting his cheeks as he reached up to rub the back of his neck. "I'm tired, but I _do_ feel quite a bit better, no da."

Tasuki nodded. "Good. Say: You seen Souta 'round here anywhere?"

"No. When I came into the field to find you, he was trying to keep the remaining demons from getting to Gorou—" Chichiri jerked his head toward a pallet on the far side of the room. "—and I helped him fend them off, but I lost track of him after we got back. Between taking care of you two, the other bandits, and hunting down the last of the demons, I haven't had time to look for him, no da."

Tasuki winced. "Damn, Chichiri. I'm sor—"

"—Save your apologies, no da. You've fallen on the sword for me for much less."

"I know ya don't mind, but…" Tasuki searched his gaze. "If ya were _really_ in trouble…you'd tell me, right? What Taiitsukun said before, about what could happen—"

"—Da…That goes for both of us, no da."

"Yeah, but _you_ were th' one who was just possessed, not me." Tasuki leaned forward. "Chichiri, I've been havin' some really fucked-up dreams, an' th' memories keep creepin' up on me again. Jus'…" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I need to know things can be different this time. But I gotta be honest…a big part of me, yesterday…I wanted to tear Souta apart. An' what happened to me was over two years ago. I need ta know if you're sufferin' like that, so I can be around ta help you, too."

Silence filled the room, allowing the soft pitter patter of rain on the roof to fill the void.

"I've…been thinking about them a lot, no da," Chichiri murmured, glancing toward the window. "Kouran…and Hikou. To be honest, a major reason it took me so long to rejoin you and Kameyo was because I kept hearing their voices and losing my concentration. That's…not ideal in a battle, no da, and I didn't want you to be at risk because of it."

"But you never gave me the choice, Chichiri. That ain't right."

Chichiri sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry. I admit that after all these years…perhaps it _is_ a bit hard for me to lose any sense of control."

Tasuki snorted. "No shit."

He chuckled. "Now that Fujin is gone…perhaps it's a moot point. But I understand and appreciate your concern, no da. I'll try to do better at keeping you informed."

"Hmph," Tasuki said, folding his arms. "Fer all th' bitchin' you all do about me an' _my_ stubborn streak…at least I know I have one."

Chichiri's lip twitched. "Was that comment supposed to be at my expense, no da?"

Tasuki folded his arms and snorted. "Ya might be missin' an eye but even _you_ couldn't miss that."

He threw his head back and laughed. "That's…I feel like I should be offended, no da."

Tasuki grinned. "Why? I've said much worse."

"Da…but I'm still sensitive, no da," Chichiri whined. "You're going to give me a complex."

The curve of Chichiri's lip told Tasuki he was only teasing, but still something compelled him to say, "You of all people should know th' difference between what I say an' what I mean."

His voice had come out gravelly, tinged with just enough allusion to make Chichiri's shoulders stiffen. Tasuki coughed, his face heating. _What th' fuck is wrong wit me?_

"Uh—" His gaze shot to a corner of the room. "So, uh, we should probably git back ta—"

"—I _do_ know what you mean, Tasuki."

Tasuki gulped and reluctantly met his friend's gaze again; Chichiri was regarding him carefully. "Yeah?"

Chichiri's eye narrowed as he shook his head slowly. "And knowing what you mean is why I have to try my hardest to forget."

Oh yeah, sure, it was all fun and games as long as everyone on the mountain could crack jokes at Tasuki's expense, pretending they'd just pulled outlandish scenarios out of thin air. But just like it didn't take a genius to figure out Chichiri was obviously minimizing the extent of his injuries for Tasuki's benefit, it also didn't take much intelligence for anyone to notice that, even after two years, sometimes the bandit found his gaze lingering a little too long on his best friend's mouth.

After Hikou possessed Tasuki, Chichiri had practically attached himself to his friend's hip, helping him to deal with his lingering insecurities and keep from drinking himself to death. At first it had royally pissed Tasuki off to be treated like a lost little puppy…until it hadn't.

It's true, Miaka was the only _woman_ he'd ever loved, even if it had turned out not to be in the way he'd been manipulated into thinking it'd been. But "woman" wasn't the only option.

But neither, obviously, was "monk."

His judgment fucking _sucked_.

Kameyo whined again, jerking the two men out of their reveries, and Tasuki took a deep breath. Now definitely wasn't the time to hash all of this out.

"Kentaro's dead," he said, his jaw tightening. "An' based on what Souta says, Kouji, Anzu, and Takako probably are, too."

The seishi sat in silence, dread seeping into Tasuki's bones once more. Great change of pace.

"I can't believe that, 'Chiri," Tasuki murmured. "I can't. I'm not lettin' myself believe that till I see a body."

Kameyo groaned. "Ta…ka…ko…"

Tasuki grimaced, shaking his head. "Fuck, I don't even wanna know what's gonna happen ta 'er if—"

"Mutual destruction…is not justice."

Tasuki stiffened, and both men's heads shot up to stare at the sleeping woman.

"The cycle must begin anew," she whispered. "The ancient ones…must fall."

His heart started racing again. "W-What th' hell kinda dream is she—"

Kameyo chuckled darkly and rolled onto her opposite side. "I will paint the world…in their blood."

Tasuki sprang forward, reaching out for her shoulder. "Oi…Kameyo? Kame—"

Chichiri's hand clamped down on his forearm. "Wait, Tasuki." He glanced at the woman. "Kameyo…Kameyo, can you hear me?"

Silence.

"Kameyo…the ancient ones you mentioned," Chichiri continued, "do you mean…the gods, no da?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "The age of gods is over."

Tasuki whirled to face Chichiri. The monk shook his head; he didn't know what it meant, either. Tasuki reached out and gently shook Kameyo's shoulder. "Oi, Kame—"

In a flash, Kameyo lunged her arm out and wrapped it around Tasuki's neck. He yelped as she wrenched him forward, down on top of her, and a cool blade pressed against his throat.

 _Holy—_

Kameyo's eyes popped open, her pupils wide and unseeing as she tightened her chokehold.

"Kameyo, damnit, it's me!" Tasuki croaked, clawing at her elbow. " _Let go_!"

Her eyes. There was something different about her eyes, but with his adrenaline pumping and his mind scattered, he couldn't exactly figure out what. Jolted by his outburst, she blinked rapidly for a few seconds, still staring at him, until recognition dawned. "…Genrou?"

She removed her hands, and Tasuki let out a curse as he scrambled off of her. His arm brushed against the softness of her breast and a shiver ran up his spine. He scowled.

"What the hell, woman?" he spat.

Kameyo sat up and stared at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "Gen…rou?"

"Who else would I be?" he said warily, massaging his throat.

Her gaze strayed to Chichiri with the same lost expression. Then she shook her head, groaned, and touched her hand to her forehead.

"Sorry," she murmured. " _Fuck_."

What she said.

"Are you all right, no da?"

Wordlessly, she threw the blanket off and stood. She was still wearing her soiled clothes from last night, minus her overshirt. Unsteady on her feet, she wandered over to the pile in the corner that held her belongings and grabbed her jacket and dao.

Tasuki frowned. "What are ya—"

"—I need to go find my son," she said, and without preamble, she threw open the door and headed outside.

Sharing one last wary glance, Tasuki and Chichiri followed close behind.

"Kameyo, wait, no da," Chichiri said, quickening his pace. "You should rest some more; you're still—"

"—Souta said they ran into the forest," Kameyo blurted. She stopped at an intersection and glanced back and forth before she veered off to the left. "I…that's where I'm going to start look—"

"Do you know how fuckin' big this mountain is?" Tasuki snapped. "You can't canvass this whole place alone. It would take—"

"—Then either offer to help, or leave me the hell alone."

Tasuki sprang forward and grabbed her upper arm, wrenching her to a halt. " _Hey!_ Would you listen to me fer a godsdamn second? I know you're upset, but yer not gonna help anyone runnin' out there like a damn fool!"

Kameyo finally met his gaze. Her nostrils were flaring, her face flushed. She yanked her arm free, but didn't bolt off. Instead, she closed her eyes and pressed a hand to her stomach.

"I don't…I don't feel good," she murmured. She fidgeted with the sash on her shirt. "Something…I feel like my skin is too tight. Like the walls are closing in on me. I can't breathe."

"We've all been through a lot, Kameyo," Chichiri said. "I understand. But you need to take care of yourself first."

She lowered her chin until her bangs covered her eyes. Her shoulders shook, her hands clenched into fists. "They…they put their…their _claws_ in me," she said through gritted teeth. "I could feel them draining me. A-And…I saw…I started seeing their memories, like they were mine. Feeling their emotions, like they were _mine_."

Tasuki squeezed his eyes closed. "Kameyo…"

"B-But that's…the worst part is…something hurt them. Something…made them change, and…I…I feel _sorry_ for them. I feel sorry for the bastard that took my s-son from me. But I…h-hate them…Meihou and Fujin both. They don't d-deserve sympathy…after what they did to me."

Tasuki felt his chest ache as he watched her—it was if he'd been thrown into an infinite loop, forced to relive the same pain, over and over again. Chichiri and Hikou. Him and Chichiri. Chiriko and Takako. Tenkou and Fujin.

Kameyo, and…

Tasuki swallowed. "Look, Kame—"

She darted off again before he could finish, toward the far end of the hall where a large pair of mahogany doors guarded a hallowed room. Tasuki cursed. "Kameyo, don't—!"

She flung open the doors, then stumbled backward until she banged her left shoulder into the wall. She slid down to the ground with a faint cry, her body beginning to tremble as she hung her head and burst into tears.

Chichiri immediately crouched beside her, pulling her against him so she could sob against his chest. She whimpered the name "Takako" over and over.

But now that the door was open, Tasuki couldn't pull his eyes away. At least twenty pallets were strewn across the wooden floor, and the room was pungent with the scent of death cloaked with incense. It was a smell he'd become too accustomed to, over the past five years—the hopeful, yet ineffectual perfume Chichiri had used to wash the dead hidden beneath those sheets.

"Tasuki…"

He ignored Chichiri's voice and stepped across the threshold. The room was dark, the windows covered by thick curtains that let none of the rising sunlight in. Tasuki had no doubt that even pushed far past the brink of exhaustion, Chichiri had stayed up all night preparing the bodies for proper burial.

He swallowed against the lump in his throat as he walked until he was standing in the center of the room, surrounded by the bodies of his fallen comrades. He kneeled and lowered his head, his kanji blazing on his arm.

"I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm sorry I wasn't here." Tears blurred his vision, and he hastily wiped them away with the back of his fist. "But you all can rest easy, now…it's over. I finished it, jus' like I promised I would. An' I promise ya, yer deaths won't be in vain. I'm gonna fix this…all of this."

Footsteps creaked on the floor behind him. "No matter what happened, they died as Reikaku bandits, no da," Chichiri said. "Heroes."

Tasuki coughed. "Y-Yeah. I'm sure they did."

"You did everything you could, Tasuki. _Everything_."

"…Tch. That's debatable."

Tasuki glanced over his shoulder and stood up. Masahiro was in the doorway. His right arm was in a sling and his chest was bruised, but otherwise he seemed healthy.

"Masahiro," Tasuki began. He swallowed. "What happened last night…Ya should know I don't blame ya."

"Good," Masahiro spat, his lip curled, "'cause I'd gladly do it again."

Tasuki jerked backward as if he'd punched him in the gut.

Masahiro furrowed his eyebrows, stalking forward. "Everyone who's died…their deaths are on _you_. Demon or not. You told us yer monk friend—" He sneered at Chichiri. "—would keep us safe, that the _stronghold_ was safe. Ya packed us in here like roaches an' left us all here ta die."

"Chichiri has nothin' ta do wit this," Tasuki growled. "There's no way we coulda known Souta—"

"—Heh, say whatever ya want 'bout him, but he didn't say a damn thing that wasn't true."

"Masahiro, Tasuki wasn't responsible for this," Chichiri said. "Fujin's grudge goes back much further than any of us."

"But it happened on his watch. _Hakurou_ woulda—"

"—He was a man, not a god," Kameyo said flatly. She'd occupied Masahiro's former position in the doorway, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She snorted, though the dried paths of her tears were still visible on her cheeks. "And considering how useless gods seem to be, I can't imagine your beloved Hakurou would've been any more helpful at a time like this."

Masahiro whirled around, raising his fist. "What th' fuck did you jus' say, you wench?!"

With lightning speed, Tasuki lunged and captured Masahiro's arm, wrenching it against the man's back. The bandit let out a sharp yell as he bowed backward and his knees buckled. Only Tasuki's grip on his arm was keeping Masahiro upright.

"You wanna fight _me_ , throw as many punches as ya want," he hissed. "But ya don't get ta take yer shit out on her."

Masahiro laughed dryly. "Souta was right—ya _are_ a coward."

" _You_ shot your own leader in the _back_ ," Kameyo blurted with a watery laugh. "What the fuck do you think that makes _you_?"

Masahiro lunged at her but Tasuki held firm, his grip tightening on the bandit's uninjured arm. Clenching his teeth, he leaned in until his lips were right next to Masahiro's ear. "I don't care what yer problem wit me is, yer not gonna disrespect th' dead right in front of my fuckin' face." He released his grip and pushed him toward the door. "Get th' fuck out of here. Now."

Masahiro stood at an angle, with Kameyo and Tasuki on each side of him. Tasuki kept his muscles stiff, primed to strike if the bandit decided to go after him again…or Kameyo.

But then Masahiro stormed through the threshold, his shoulder clipping Kameyo's but leaving her otherwise untouched. He turned his head and spat at her feet before he disappeared around a corner.

Chichiri brushed his hand against Tasuki's shoulder, but he shook it off and rounded on Kameyo next. "I don't want _you_ in here, either. Get out."

Her head whipped up. "What?"

"Jus' because Masahiro was out of line don't mean _you_ get a pass," Tasuki snapped. "You think yer gonna use my dead boss as a cudgel an' I'm gonna _thank_ you for it?" He dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Deal with yer pain however you need ta, but keep my life an' loved ones out of it!"

Kameyo's eyes widened, and she took a small step back. She was wearing that look again—like she didn't quite recognize who he was. As if she didn't know where _she_ was.

Tasuki felt a tinge of guilt; maybe he'd gone too far. But she bowed her head low and backed out of the room.

"Y-You're right," she whispered. "I'm…I'm sorry."

Tasuki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know yer…I know yer dealin' wit a lot right now. But I don't need anyone ta fight my battles. Not you, not Chichiri. These are _my_ men. This is _my_ mountain, an' whether I sink or swim 'cause a this…I'm gonna do it pullin' my own damn weight." He turned to Chichiri. "Understand?"

The two men shared a long look before Chichiri nodded. "Of course, no da."

A reluctant smirk tugged at Tasuki's lips as he eyed Kameyo again. "Gotta say, though…never expected _you_ ta be th' one rushin' ta my defense."

Kameyo rubbed her arm, refusing to meet his gaze. "Hm. You're a…you're a lot of things, Genrou. But a bad leader…isn't one of them."

Tasuki nodded. "Well, glad ta hear it. But I need to get everyone together and have a long, hard conversation. It ain't gonna be pretty. But it needs to happen. I want th' two of ya ta help out with last rites for the victims while I'm doin' that. Hopefully by th' time I'm done, we can meet up fer th' burials."

"And then what?" Kameyo said bleakly.

Tasuki sighed. "Then…we go out lookin' fer Kouji, Anzu, and the ki—Takako. As much as I wanna go now…"

"You have other responsibilities," Chichiri said. "We understand, no da."

 _Please gods, let 'em be okay._

"But what about Daichi?" Kameyo asked. "Just because Fujin's gone doesn't mean he'll be able to recover on his own."

"Right. We gotta do jus' what Taiitsukun said: After everythin's settled topside…we're goin' into that shrine."

Kameyo and Chichiri nodded, and the three of them headed out into the hallway, Kameyo walking slightly ahead of the two men. At the three-way intersection, Tasuki hesitated before they parted ways.

"Kameyo."

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"I made ya a promise, an' I plan on keepin' it," he said. "I'm gonna find yer son. No matter what."

Kouji and Anzu were stubborn motherfuckers—despite everything else that had gone wrong over the past week, Tasuki knew in his heart they were still alive, somewhere. And if _they_ were alive, Takako was sure to be with them. Kouji wouldn't have had it any other way. Tasuki just had to hold onto hope just a little longer…somehow.

Slowly, Kameyo turned on her heel and faced him. She was standing in a sunbeam, and with a start Tasuki finally realized what about her eyes had struck him as so odd before.

They were paler than they had been before—while he'd only ever seen her with eyes that were vibrant purple, now they looked like they'd been diluted by muddy water, allowing flecks of green and brown to seep through. Nevertheless, they held that same well-worn wisdom, the fatigue of battles too often fought…and lost.

But then she smiled, and Tasuki was awed by the fact that, despite the weight of its sadness, it was probably the first genuine smile she'd given him since they'd first met.

"I know," she said. "I trust you."

Without another word, she followed Chichiri down the corridor.

 **xxx END OF PART ONE xxx**

* * *

 **Glossary Terms (not an exhaustive list):**

 **Ahou** : Japanese; "idiot" in the Kansai-ben dialect the Reikaku bandits speak in the original Japanese manga/anime. (This is why people on Reikaku are shown to speak with a U.S. Southern drawl in a lot of English fanfiction, as well as official English localizations.)

 **Amai-chan:** Japanese; "sweet." When used to describe a person, "amai" takes on a connotation of naivete or ignorance. (It also serves as a pun in regard to Anzu's name, which means "apricot.")

 **Aniki:** Japanese; "big brother" among yakuza and other Japanese denizens of the criminal underworld. (Tasuki called Kouji this before he inherited the tessen and Kouji told him to knock it off.)

 **Dao** (liuyedao, niuweidao, etc.): Chinese; single-edged swords of various styles, known collectively as "The Marshal of All Weapons." Popular among both commoners and military forces.

 **Hanfu** : Chinese; a contemporary umbrella term referring to the traditional clothing of Han Chinese people. Comes in various forms and styles as dictated by gender and social status.

 **Houshi:** Japanese; "monk." Used as a title and term of address.

 **Jian:** Chinese; a double-edged straight sword known as "The Gentleman of Weapons"; practitioners are called " **jianke**." I _n Konan, jian are associated with an advanced swordsmanship style that prioritizes deterrence, redirection, and retaliation, in that order._

 **Kasa:** Japanese; Chichiri's straw hat (and others like it, naturally).

 **Kashira:** Japanese; "boss." Used among yakuza, etc.

 **Kesa:** Japanese; Chichiri's outer robe, which identifies him as a (Buddhist) monk.

 **Mijiu:** Chinese rice wine similar to sake.

 **Ningen:** Japanese; "human(s)."

 **Rekka Sairyūjin:** Japanese; "Burning Fire, Crushing Dragon Attack." A canonical special attack used by Tasuki in the second part of the manga, although no background information is given on how he developed it. _As it only appears once in the English translation, I've used creative license in its depiction and strength._

 **Senpuu:** Japanese; "whirlwind." _How or why Kameyo first began to evoke this incantation is currently unknown._

 **Shinpū:** Chinese-derived pronunciation of kanji; "divine wind." _How or why Kameyo first began to evoke this incantation is currently unknown._

 **Torii:** Japanese; a gateway to a traditional Shinto shrine. Walking beneath a torii symbolizes the entrance into the world of the " **kami** ," or gods.


End file.
